The.xii. Chapter. That these outvvard goode, desired but for vvordly vvelth be not onely litle good for the bo

ANd […]hus farre haue we considered hither to[…] in these outward goodes that are called the giftes of fortune no farther but the slender commoditie that worldely minded men haue by them. But nowe if we consider farther what harme to the soule, they take by them ye desier thē, but onely for ye wretched welth of this worke: Thā shall we wel perceiue, howe farre more happy is he that wel leseth thē, than he that cuil findeth them. These thinges though they be such, as are of theyr owne nature indifferent, yt is to witte of them self, thinges neyther good nor badde, but are matter that maye serue to the tone or the tother, […]fter as mē wyl vse them, yet nede we litle to doubte it, but that they that desier them but for theyr worldely pleasure, & for no farther godly purpose, ye deui[…] shal soone turne them frō thinges indifferēt vnto thē and make them thinges verye nought. For though that they be indifferent of theyr nature, yet can not the vse of thē, lightly stand indifferent, but determinately muste eyther be good or badde. And therefore he yt desireth thē but for worldly pleasure, desyreth thē not for any good. And for better purpose thā he […]esireth them, to better vse is he not likely to put thē, and therefore not vnto good, but consequentlye to nought. As for ensample first consider it in riches he […]hat longeth for them, as for thynges of temporall commodytie and not for anye godlye purpose, what good they shall doe hym Saint Paule declareth where he writeth vnto Timothe, Qui volunt diuites fieri, incidunt in temptacionē & in laqucum di[…]boli & des[…]deria mu[…]ta inutilia & noxia que […]ergūt homines in interi[…]ū & penditionem. They that long to be rich fal into tēptaciō, and into the grinne of the deuil, and into many desiers vnprofitable and noyous, which droune men into death and into perdicion. And the holy scripture sayth also in the.xxi. Chapter of the Prouerbes. Qui […]ongrega[…] thesauros inpingetur in laqueus mortis. He that gathereth treasures shalbe showued into ye grinnes of death, so that where as by the mouth of. S. Paule god saith yt they […] […] shal fall into the deuils grinne, he sayth in the tother place, that they shall be pusshed or showued in by violence, & of trouth whyle a man desireth riches, not for any good godlye purpose, but for onelye welth, it must nedes be that he shal haue litle cōscience in the geatting, but by all euil wayes than he can inuente shall laboure to geatte them, and than shall he eyther nigardly heape them vp together, which is you wote wel damnable, or wastfullye missespende them aboute worldly pompe pride and glotony, wyth occasion of many sinnes moe, and that is yet much more damnable. As for fame and glory, desyred but for worldly pleasure, doth vnto the soule inestimable harme.

For that setteth mennes heartes vpon highe deuyces and desiers of suche thynges as are immoderate and outragious, & by help of false flatterers puffe vp a mā in pride, & make a bryttel man lately made of earthe, & that shall agayne shortely be layde ful lowe in earth, & there lye and rotte[…] and turne againe into earth, take hym selfe in the meane tyme for a god here vpon the earth, and weene to wynne him selfe to be lorde of al ye earth. This maketh battelles betwene these greate princes, & with much trouble to much people & greate e[…]fusiō of bloud one Kinge to looke to raygne in fyue realmes yt can not well rule one. For howe many hath nowe thys great Turke, & yet aspireth to moe? And those y• he hath he ordereth euyl, & yet him selfe worse. Than offices & roumes of authory[…]ye (if men desier them onely for theyr worldly fātasies) who can looke yt euer they shal occupie thē wel, but abuse theyr authorytie & doe therby greate hurte. For than shal they fal frō indifferency, & maintaine false matters of theyr frēdes, beare vp theyr seruātes & such as depend vpō thē, wt bearing downe of other innocēt folke, & not so able to doe hurte, as easie to take harme. Thā ye lawes yt are made against malefactors, shall they make as an olde Philosopher saied, to be much like vnto cobbewebbes, in whych the litle gnattes & flies stycke styl & hāg fast: but ye great hūble bees breake thē & flye quite thorowe, & then ye lawes yt are made as a buckler in ye defēce of Innocētes, those shal they make serue for a sword to cut, & so[…]e woūded thē with, & therwith woūd they theyr own soules sorer. And thus you se Cosin, yt of al these outeward goodes which mer[…]al ye goodes of fortune, there is neuer one yt vnto thē which longe therfore[…] not for any godly purpose, but onely for theyr worldly welth, hath anye great commoditie to ye body, & yet are they al in suche case besides yt, very deadly destrucciō vnto the soule.