Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

That worldly thingsdringcontempt afgraceendglory, 693 fiipper ; for they who were bell difpofed framed excufes, one it that he had bought a farme,and mull needs goe out and fee it; e another that he had bought fine yoke ofoxen, and mull goe to proue them, and another that he had maried a wife, and there- Luk.c 4.01.rg. fore could not come; all which though they pretended faire excufes as though their defire had been to corne, if theirbuf- nel %shad not been fovrgenr , yet the true caufc was , as our Sa- uiour,telleth vs,becaufe doting vpon their earthly affaires,theyMat.as.t. were fo wholly taken vp of them, that they made light of thefe heavenly offers, and went their waies. And chore who were worfe affe &ed,& caried with greater violence in their loue to -, wards worldly vanities, Tooke it fo ill, that the meflengersof verf.6. the great king, fhould prefume to diffuade them from the loue of their chicle iewels, and mofl efleemed treafures, that they laid violent hands vpon them, fharpely intreated them, and cruelly murthered them. Thus thofe who let their hearts vpon worldly honours, neuer thinke of eternal' glory, but fpend all their thoughts and labour in plotting the meanes whereby they may afpire to earthlypreferments ; and if any !hall per- fwade them to !cave there courfes, and contemning the vaine glory ofthe woridfeeke afterheauenly honour which fhall be eteruall,and to-glorifie Godby their holy liues,and humbleca- nine, that he may glorifie them -in his heauenlykingdome; they will plainely flew their negle & and contempt of thefe e- uerlafling honours,by defpi fing, if not deriding thefe chriflian admonitions and perfuafions. So hee who too much efiecmeth, and immoderatelyloueth earthly riches, doth negle& and con- temne the Lord, and the vnualuable riches ofhis fpirituall gra. ces and heauenly treafures;-bein.g ready with !udas-to(ell his Mat.s6.i. Sauiour for a littlemoney ,and with Demastoforfake allcom- Plai, toy. munionwith the faints, to imbrace the world. So thePfalmifl faith, that the covetous man Mired; himfelfe in his riches,andcon- temneth the Lord. Andashe contemnethGod, fo-allo his fpirr- Vbidbesttu tibi tuall gifts and heauenly glory; for as the heathen man -could osenia bona vi teach vs, where riches are highlyvalued,there all good things, liafuns,fsdts, as faith,honefly, modeRy, fhamefafineffe, are contemptiblie probitas,pudory cheape,and bafelyefleemed; and conféquently they arc lought pudicitia;Sa- when as thefe are negle&ed, and the rather becaufe they are lordinlicP b morceafly compaffed, and thefe with greater difficulty. 'For Y .y 3 whereas