Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

664 That worldly things through our ahufeare hurtful/ &e. fuck like wicked'courfes, whereby when they haue attained' vnto their defired honours they are now ready to repeate their leffon againe and againe, and to revue, yea adde vnto their former wickedneffe, as oft as occafion is offered, to Bafil.Conftit maintaine their reputation, and preferue their honour front monaft.tap.tt.itnpeachment. In regard whereof one exhorteth vs to flee vaine glory and ambition, as being a fweete robber of fpi- rituall riches, a pleafant enemie of our foules, the moth of vertue,a flattering fpoiler ofall our goods,a couerer and colou- V an i"iéPe rerofdeceitfalhpoyfon,vnder the thew and tail ofthefweeteft uittr peoetrat, honie,reaching out to the minds of men, thefe empoyfoning fed moot lutein- cups of frnne, whereofifthey drinke they eternally perifh. To flrgit volons: whichptirpofeanotherfaith, that vaine glory flierh lightly a- ctto,nterftcir. bout as being vaine, and of no waight, and lightly and eafily Bernard .in pierceth into mens hearts ; and yet it inflreth noli ht wound, ral.quihabi- P y $ a tar.serm.e. but fuddenly kill eth,and def}royethat vnawares. , 4.Se11.3, Thus alto riches are hurtfulland pernicious to thofe who o- that rubes uerualue their true worth in their iudgements,andfetting their. hurt ¡haft who hearts vpon them, do with all greedines delire and'feekethem, immoderately morethen Gods fpirituall graces and heauenly glory;feeing drtenhem,hy vntofuchthe are not one! the caufes and occafions,butal(o drawtnSrhrm y y into/IN/hug. the inffruments and meanes of all finne and wickedneffe. For theywho fetatheir hearts vpon this earthly mammon, are rea dy (to obtaine their loue) with ludoq and Demas to fell all their part in Chrifl and his faluation, to make thipwracke ofa good cònfciencc, and ofallfpirituall graces, to forgoe their right it' our heauenly inheritance in Godskingdome, and to expofe their bodies and - foules to tenrporal'and 'eternall puni hments, byvung all fin full andwicked meanes to get keepe, or increafe their wealth.In rcfpea-whereofthe Prophet Dauidmaketh co- uetoufnes,and obedience vnto Gods law flat oppolites,which will by no meanes be reconciled and flandtogether :Incline my Pfal.119d6. heart (faith he) vnto thy reflimonies ,and not to coottoufneffe.And the Apoflle Paul doubteth not to affirme, that the immoderate t'rim.e.to. defireofmoræeyis the root e °falleud; becaufeifinen haueitnot, 1Hnntum elf non ehey-are ready to vfe all'vnlawfvll'meanes to get it; if they corrompí dini. haue it, they vfe thelike wicked meanes to keepe it. So that (as tiarum conto_ one faith) it is a matter ofgreatdifficultie to haue riches dwel- bruio.scue. ling with vs, andnot>tobe corrupted with their acquaintance and