Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

796 That worldly thingshinder me fro"attainiag brawn!, ivies, preffed with Sr' cares of this life, & euen ouerburthened with fuperfluous riches, are in great danger neuer to come fafely into thehauenoften, becaufe the fpiricuall piratsare more eager in purfuing them, and theymore vnable to indure the tempefl of tentations; vnlefíe they call fome of their flore acclefrr.t, vpon the f ceofthezvarers, as the Wife manexhorteth; and beflow theirfuperfluitie (which is vnto them as a trouble- fome burthen) in rcleeuing the poore members of Iefus Chrifl. In which refpecl, our Sauiour compareth riches to the bunch on the camels backe,which maketh thofe,who fet their hearts vpon them,altogether vnfit to enter into thenar- row and (trait gate, that openeth into theioyes ofheauen. And as the camell bath not onely a natural bunch,but alto an accidentall loade,both which hinder him from entring into any (trait paflàge: fo thefe couetous worldlings haue the naturall bunch of carnall concupifcence, and the accidentall loade,both of worldly riches, and of the fines which they haue committed in compafing or po(feffing them ; the one whereof theymuff whether theywil or no lay afide in death; the other,vnlcffe they (hake off their burthen by true repen- tance,(hallaccompanie them toiudgement, and liming the waight ofGods wrath added vnto them, (hall as an intole- rable loade preffe them into hell. For as it is itnpo(fible fora man ouerburthened to climbe to thetop ofa fleepe moun- taine,vnleffche lay his loade afide,or haue force afliflants to carie it with him : fo is it much more impoílible, being loa- ded withriches, and that guilt and fnne which vfually ac- companieth them, to afccnd into the high mountaine of Gods holineffe,vnlcffe welay afide our burthen,or commit it to the poore,as our porters to carrie it with vs; making with Zachexereflitution, to thofewhom we haue wronged, and imparting of that which remaineth a liberall (hare to chari- Sesaee.Ep'tft 8q table vies. In which refpe6l (as one obferueth) riches in the Latine tongue arc fitly called impediments, or encumbran- ces, becaufe nothing more then they vfually hindreth men from going on in the way of grace,nor from attaining vnto the goale of glory, they being commonly tomenlike bur. thensto thofe that rune arace,which keepe them fro m ma- king