Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Luk.r;.:;. A1at.tr.ta. Nilus in af tecito. 790 That wordly things binder a from attaining heearily iolef, footeforward towards their heauenly countrie. But as the Rubeniteshaving taken a liking of the countrie which was firí} conquered, becaufe it was fit to feed their cattell (al- though it were farre from the Temple, where they fhould receiue the food of their foules) and therefore to enioy it renounced all interei in the land ofpromife: fo chele world - lings let their harts and affections vpon the earth and earth- ly vanities, becaule they are at hand, and fit to feed their fenfuall and brutifh appetites, preferring it before the hea- uenly Canaan, and temple of Gods holineffe, where their foules might be fatisfied with thole rauifhing ioyes,and fur - palfing pleafures which are at Gods right hand for euer- tnore.Or if they doe not hinder them from this heauenly happineffe,by canting them to forget and vtterlynegleélir, yet at lead by (lacking their pace,and canting them to feeke after it negligently and remiffely : and whereas there is fuch a zeale in thofe who attain vnto the kingdorne of heauen, that as our Sauiour Chrid faith, they /frnie to enterinto the traitegate, and are ready to take poffeffion of it by an holy kind of violenceand force, fparing for no paines, nor flaying for any danger; thefe men who are wedded to the world, are cold and flacke in this purfuit, being altogether vnwil- ling; to take any paines, or to fuflaine the lead brunt ofany danger. Or if at any time they fhew a little earneffneffe more then ordinarie, prefently this zealeis quenched with thefe watrifh and earthly vanities; and the world catching fad hold of them, maketh them to flay, and neuer ccafeth wrealingwith them till theyhaue the foile and ouerthrow. In which confli thefe worldly things are vnto them but as clothes to wrafllcrs, whereon their aducrfarie takethfish er hold to glue them a fall; and (as one faith)the world cafleth vpon them this dull ofearthly vanities, that he may feaze on them the furer,and keepe them from flipping out of his vn- kind imbracements; from which dangers they might bee freed,either if they were naked & deflitute of chele worldly vanities, or at lea(l if they kept them on as look garments; which are eafil), pulled off; being not far in loue with them whiled