Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

;1366 That worldly things through our abut; are hurtful &c, felues, that they may doea mifchiefe at vnawares ; fo in thefe lurke many finnes and corruptions which daily wound and fling the fouleto death eternall. So elfewhere he askethwhat 'Cirryfoft. in happines there is in the poffellon ofriches ?vnleffe(faith he) we t.Cor.yomil. account them happie which keepe wild and fauage beafts, who 35 dare not come neer them,nor cannot touch them without feare and trembling : for fo couetous men keeping riches, receiue from them, as from cruell beafis, many hundred wounds in their foules and confciences; although in a diuersmaner: for wild beafts doe hurt when they are brought abrode ; but thefe when they are kept within, kill their keeper,and become harm_ leffe whenthey are fet at liberty. Vpon which manifold harmes happening through the abufe of riches, another groundeth an affc&uall diffuafion from louing or feeking them ouermuch. How long ( faith he) will you fpend your lines in getting gold, which is nothing elfe but a fnare offoules, the hooke of death, and baite offinne ? How long will ye greedily gape after riches, the vfuall caufes ofwarre and difcord? for for their fakes kinf- folkes neuer thinke what nature requireth; brethren behold one another with froward and crabbed countenances, and Balil.orat.r4. thiríl after one anothers blood; for their fake the woods bar - pauperc çe& bour thee ues, and cities fycophants and flandererers: who but they are the parents and patrons of lying, and the inuenters and framers offalfe accu fat i ons ? what other author is there of periurie and trecherie ?andyet they were giuen vs of God, for helpes to preferue life, and not as caufes,occafions, and meanes to helpe vs forward in the courfe ofwickedneffe. §.Seit.q.. Finally, thofe who efleeme voluptuous pieafuresabouetheir Thatvoiuptuoms worth,and fet their hearts vpon thefe vanities, fha:l in the end pleafares bon find them,not onely vnprofitable,but alto hurtful! and pernici- theme,Ly mho bei g` ous,as being the caufes bothoffnne and punifhment. For hee occafnous of pm, who fetteth his mind vpon thefe worldly delights, is ready to and in then:. runne any wicked courfc for the getting or continuing of ;felaesfmfoA. them; and to hazard the loffeoftheioyesofheauen,for the ob- taining or keeping ofhis plcafures on earth. Neither are thefe pleafures veto them caufes only of finne, but are alto them- (clues turned into finne, when as they vfe them in exceffe, or without moderation; for feeing their goodneffcwholly confi- :íleth in their iufl: meafure, therefore when this me:2fure is ex- ceeded,