Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

7420f theciuil mil' which worldly thingsbring to their owner,. Vbi pecnnie and poffeffing thisgolden bootie. And becaufe felfeloue fo [ ramtmril- blindeth men that every one thiokethhimfclfeworthieft, to conTtentioxu and iudgeth his leaft thew of title, the belt right; theyare eft fundamentú readie to incroach vpon their neighbours, and to sntitle ac b. ft'.Chry- themfclues vntotheir poffeffrons; if they be flrong enough fo!t. in MataS. feazingvpon them by force and violence; or if they want Hom:1.yr, this tyrannous and ouerbearing power, they will endcuour fecretiyto circumucnt them by fraud and deceit; or openly vnder colour of law to prey vpon their efîates. Neither is there any thing more common then this, among cluetous woridlings ; to whom riches is the fuel! of their conten- tions, which being fct a fire with their burning concupif- cence,flame out into wrath and emnitie. So that (as one faith) ifthey.had not inf.+ men among them, whichwhilefl they drive to make peace & part thefe contending themes, doe become a bootie veto them both, they would deuoure. Chryloft in E- one, another with their eager contentions ; like famifhed pitt.ad Eph.4. wilde beafls, which with mortali fiirie would,v hen hunger tlotnv .9.ton.4pincheth.them,fight with thole of their owne kinde,that after the conque(l they might prey vpon them,ifthere were not force harmeleffe lambes necre veto them, which part this flrife,by becomming a more eafie prey vnto them both. And as this is to be daily obferued amongfl ordinary neigh- bours, fo no where more commonly then amongfl molt in- timate friends, and neerefl kinred, where by reafon of their intercourfeofdealing,oroccafion ofdiuiding their conioi - ned right,euery one being to haue that portion which their predecelföurs left them, there are vfually the molt hot con- tentions, and mart implacable emni tie. Yea this ftrife and difcord is not only caufed whilefi men labour to robbe one another oftheir right,but euen when they provide forthem in abundance,and only for a time keepe them back from the enioying thefe rich poffeßïons,which they fo eagerly couer. Ift which refpc6t it maybe truly Paid, that he who gatiereth nanch,maketb hisheire his cnemie;it being a fuficientquar- rellandcaule. ofemnitie ,that hee liuethouer long, loas hee cannot vulture-like prey. vpon him ; and the greater his pine (hall be after his predeceffours death, the gteater is his griefe