v_. Of thcWortd.í wearie in travailing thorow this defers and vnpleafu t wil- derneffe vnto thelandofpromife,they delïre to returne back into the bondage of the fpirituall Pharaoh, that they may Numb. t tip;, quietly fit by the flefh-pots ofEgypt, and:glut themfelues vvith the cucumbers and peponsofcarnall;pleafures: that is, they chufe rather to walke in thebroadwaywhich leadeth todefiruòiion, becaufe it is delightful!, then in the narrow way which leadeth to euerlafcing life , becaufe they muff gaffe thorow the briarsofaflhióiion and thornesof tribula- tion,before they canreceiue the crownofglorie ; they pre-. ferre the pleafuresoffin for a feafon,before the-recompence ofreward,whichGodhathpromifed,euen the eternal! ioyes ofthe kingdom ofglorie. So vnpleafant a thing it is for flefh and bloud to denie itfelfe, and to take vp the croffeand fol- lowChrift. But though:theworldbefarre more terrible to lookvpon when,irfrowneth, thenwhenit fawneth, yet is it farce leffe dangerous. For oftentimes this poyfon of aduerfitie is fo tempered andcorreóied with thofe wholefome preferuatiues offaith,hope,patience andhumilitie, that in (leadofkilling vs, it doth but purge away our corrupt humours of fanne; though the worldwhip vs, yetthereby it correð vs, and makes vsbetter; though it burn vs in the fire ofafllidiions, yet it doth not confume , but rather refine vs from our droffe; though likea fiormiewinde it fhaketh vs,yet in flea(' ofblowingvs downe,it caufethvs to takemore deepe roote in all vertueand goodnes : ina word,as it plaicth the fchool- matler in fcourgingvs,foalto in inflruóing &teaching vs to knowGod, and toknowourfelues ; toknowthevanitie of theworld,and tolabour after a more permanent felicitie. Notwith$anding,howfoeuer by thegrace andblefling of 4.Sec7.4 God,aduerfitie (the worlds churlifhfonne) Oftentimeswor- Howweare t9 keth thefegood effeels ; yet initfelfe it is atemptation, and armeouz. that a firongone, to drawvs fromGod , by caufing vs to fella srge ufY murmure and repine : yea as Satan faid oflob, to curfe God ' to his face,to enuie all who feemevnto vs more happie then our felues, to defpaire ofGods mercie,and to vfe vnlawfull meanes,that therebywemaybetter our efiate.And therefore Dz it
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