z ¢Thatthefriendfhip ofwkk!d worldling: is tobeConfemoed dropping;mettals are notprefently melted,as Toone as they are put into thefurnace; greene wood doth not forthwith flame out,as Toone as it is laid on the fire : but yet within a while with much and often raining,the waters arife, with greatandcontinuall heate the mettais melt,and thegreene wood after Tomeweake refiflance is burned and confumed. And fo although the fire ofGods graceburning in vs is not quenched at firfl (as it were) with this water of worldly wickedneffe; yearather perhapsit may through oppofition, make it to gather his flrength, and burne more hotly; but yetifitbe much and oftencaf} vpon it,it willin theend put Ifidor.lib.x. it deane out. e4lthough (faithone) thouweremade ofiron, foliloqu. yetfunding continually beforea greatfire, thou wouldet at 141 bediffolued andfoftned ; and he thatfill dwellethat the next dore todanger, cannot longbefafe: By agiduitie a manis often delivered otteras captiue tofn, andoftentimes familiaritiebath intangledmen,andminfredvnto themoccafonoffinning ; and whathe eusllat thefirkt could not, that lingring affiduitie and cuflomeharp atch,eued.Atthe firft,i t maybea Chriflian mans heart rifeth,andhis foule ablrorreth the wickedneffe which he leech committedeuen byhis deareftfriends,but at thefe- cond timehe is not fomuch mooned,and when he is a little inured thereunto, the lotie ofhis friend weakening the ha- tred which hebeareth the finne,heiscontent to winkeat it, and then to tolerate it,andafter to like it, and by and by to imitate it,and within awhile after to approoue,defetid, and boafl of it. At the firfl hearing ofblafphemie, ribauldrie and corrupt communication, itmay beefor the prefent wee feele not ourfoules hurt and infefled, butyet (asone faith) Senec.epi4. it leauethfeed: in the mind,andeven afterwe aredepartedfrom 123, then:,eurllfproutethvp. tlndasMofe whoheartpleatingmufck, haue,when themelodie it ceafed, the tunes founding in their Bares ; fo the talky of wicked men doth longer continue lbtth v:, then it isin hearing : and it is not eafie toforget a found which is fo fweet to our corrupt flefh. Neither doth the lingring growth ofour corruptions,which by degreescreep vpon vs leffen our hurt anddanger, but rather muchincrea- feth them, Peeing it ouercommeth vs, before wee feele our felues
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