Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

7440fthe eisi& esili which worldly things 6ristg to their owners. the obie& oftheir enuie being remoued, they may bee freed fromthis pining difeafe, and grow into better liking; or that being deflroyed,thcy may prey vpon them,and take in- to their hands the things which they poffeffed, as Ahab did Pro.r..3o. Naboths vineyard. To which purpofe the Wife man faith, that the pror erity offooles de(lroyeth them; not only as it en- courageth them in the wales of crone, which bring eternall deflru &ion to their foules,but alto as it exposes their persons and effaces to a tcmporall deflrucrlion here in this life. For who in the time ofpeace are fo much endangered to the tre- chetie and falfhood of fycophants and flanderers, as they whole profperity maketh them a fit prey to bee feazed on? for whereas they neuerregard thofe who are ofmeane qua- lity, as being the obie& rather ofpitie,then ofcnuy,and can with their fpoile bring no profit; they bend all their forces againfl.thole whoare in a profperous eflate, making them guiltie, becaufe they are rich; and thinking it a fufficient quarrell againfl their peace and fafety, becaufe they haue fomthing,in their poffeffion which they define to Craze vp- on, they being ready to feeke their deflru &ion not fo much for hatred to their perfons, as for loue to their riches, plea- lures or preferments that they may out of their ruine raise their owne efiate. Like veto hunters which purfue the fillie beats, having no other quarrellvnto them,but becaufe they prefume euery day to w care Inch rich furs,as are fit for kings on their greatefi feftivals: or veto fishermen, which make a prey ofthe poore lhelfifh,for theprecious pearls which they keepe in theirweake holds, as better befceming princes fit- ting on their royall throne, then the worthles muskle which tumbleth in the mud. So likewife in common calamities who are more expo fed to dangers, then theywho are moll noted, and aloft enuied ?and who are more in the eye and enuie ofall,which are readie to deflroy;then they who haue 434ious inparr high places, and great wealth? It is not the poore cottager, Ms fortuna fu- but the rich alderman that inticeth the forraging fouldier nit Ileniajgxe to the fpoile : it is not the fillie pionerior common fouldier ferit lersiera that is the marke ofthe cunning muskeriere but the gallant Dos.Senee. $ g *Treade. captaine, and>greatcommandcr ; andin bloodie battelsthe death