246 That thefe earthly thingo abufed,6ecamefnaresvnto vs. gettingor keeping of thefe earthly trifles, which they fo much admire and affeól. 4.Se17.2,. By which nicanes it commeth topaffe, that thefeearthly That thefe bleffings are earnedintocurfes, and through themalice of the earthly things diucll, and our owne corruption, they become thematter through oour and occafion ofmany dangerous tentations,asbeing the or- the matterof dinarie wages which Satan giueth worldlings forferuing many griesoes him in (inne, andhis commonbaiteandallurement,where- tentations. by he inticeth vs tooffend God,wound our owne confcien- Msl.z.z. ces,and hazard the eternal! faluationofour foules.For when he feeth, that the finne whereto he tempteth vs,is in it felfe vgly and odious vnrovs, either by thelight ofnature, or of the Scriptures,whereby our vnderftanding and iudgements are illuminated in the knowledge ofgood and cud!, thee doth bee can over it one ofthefeworldly vailes, and cone- ring this deadly hookeoffinne with one ofthefe alluring baites, bee inticeth vs to fwallow it,to our ruine and deflru- 6ion. The which tentations are therefore the more dange- rous,becaufe thefe things being in their owne naturegood, are leffe fufpe6ed when they arevpon fuck euill conditions thruavponvs; and alto becaufe they are of necefl'arievfe vnt© vs,which fpurre ofnecellitie pricketh vs forward to vie Crebréectafese any meanes lawful! or unlawful for the compaflingofthem, feduaionis in- and doth ferue as a pretence toexcufe our greedineffe ; and as a cloake and couer, vnder which by degreesimmoderate exceffe,and neuer fatisñed voluptuoufneffe doth creepe vp. on vs. For whilefi we pretend,and perhaps intend to fatisfie onely our neceffities, and to pay, as it were,our debt to na- ture,pride,couetoufiiefl'e and voluptuoufseffedoe incroach vpon vs, drawing vs on toaffed and delire fuperfluitie and exceffe. As when wethinke to fatisfienature bymeates and drinkes,beiug allured with pleafure, weoffend through im- moderation, and fall into thofe odious Clones ofgluttonie and drunkenneffe : vhen wegoe about to prouide apparel! to couer our nakcdnefle,and to preferuevsfrom the iniurirs ofthe weather,pride crecpeth in, and mooueth vs to finne either in Ionic wanton fafhion,or in the exceflìue cofllineffe ofthe fluffe. When according to our dutie we thinke ofv- fing menta dum ne- teffitati debita reddimuo,vo- loptatis vitio deÏersimrsr. Gregor.Mor. lib.zo.cap. r g. i
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