CHAP. XX. Of profit and pleasure.
PAul diuiding the times, 1. Tim. 4 and 2. Tim. 3. into the latter dayes, and the last dayes, telleth in the spirit of prophecie of them both, that in the one there should bee much superstition, which are gone; and in the other, into which wee are fallen, and they are fallen on vs, that men shall bee louers of pleasures more than of God, and account gaine godlinesse: so the one esteeme our life as a pastime, the other thinke of it as of a market, to be getting at all hands. Although Marthaes part be the worse, and Christ hath saide so, be∣cause it shall bee taken away from her, yet all choose her part, and yet this otherwise hath often a great scourge of God ioyned vnto it. It is the errour of the world in these dayes to thinke all is well, so we get not our riches by euill meanes: but I say, though wee vse no euill meanes at all to get them, euen in louing the bare things themselues too much wee offend: For not onely things corrupt are impure, but also things mingled with such things as are corrupt, are made vnpure: so things impure mingled with the soule corrupt it, because the soule is onely for the Lord.