Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.D76 C552 1611 v.2

716Ofthe eiuileuils whichworldlythings bring to their olbnert. Cyrus apud &cth it felfe, and,as it were,gatherethall it forces together. luftin.hiit.li.x. and fo returningto it felfe, itaffeóieth moderation,and be- ing freed from the burthen and tyrannie of paffìons, it is made firongerand more nobly lofty. And hence it is, that politicke conquerours, hauing with great danger and di(fi_ cultic vanquifhed and ouercome fome warlike nations,haue to keepe them Rill vnder, defpoiled them of their armes, and in Headofwarlike exerci fes, drawne themto banquet- ting,gaining,andreuelling, that fo their courage might bee abated,andtheir hearts foftned and effeminated with there pleafures and delights.Andtherforeifwe make any account ofChrifiian fortitude&magnanimity, whichchiefly defen- dethvs again!' ourenetnies,ifwewould not haue our manly courage,changed intowomanifh weaknes,let vs not immo. deratlyloue worldly profperity, nor-vnmeafurably affeel ei- therhonors,riches, orcarnal pkafures,which take awayboth ourpatience in fuffering, &our firength inperforming,& fo make vsvnable for any Chrifiian ,yeaman-likeimploimenr. 43e1i.2 Afecondeuillormifchiefe which worldlyprofperity,and that the(ruin-`abundance ofearthlythingsbring vntothofe who inioy thé enofmorldly with immoderatelouc,is,that by their plenty theybringvp_ van:tiesmake on them aneceffty, & make them to fiandin needofmany men toftandin thinos(wheras-nature iscontent with afew)the want ofthe needofmany leaf'whereofcaufethvnto them forrowand difcontent : for thngr, by the vfuallaccuflomingofthemfeluestofuperfluities ,they alter thecourfeoftheir natures, andmake them to become neccffarie; and whereas thofe who neuer vied them,neuer need them, nature in it felfebeing as well content without themas with them;contrariwifcthofe whohaue inuredthe- feluesvnto them, hauing turned cufiome into a fecond na- ture, cannot want themwithout a maime. Inwhich refpe&& worldlymen abounding with thefeearthly things, are ina farreworfecondition thenthofe who neuer had them;for as he who by continualvie ofPhyficke,hathbrought hisbody to fuch adifpofition, that hecan enjoy no health, vnleffe he ,continually be taking medicines,nor digefi ameale without the helpeofhot waters,is ina farworfe.etiate,thoughhe had the

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=