32 Orthedangerotefnet o fmortdlyprofperrt)e. firfl degree tofome dangerousfrckneffe;fo when our world- lyefiate feemeth molt healthie,flrong,andvigorous,then is our corrupt nature prone tofall into the perillous difeafesof finne,which are attendedvpon with eternalldeath.and de.. flruCIion. And therefore the wifeman faith, that cafeflaieth Proua.32. the floolrfh,andtheprofperitieoffooterdelirayeththem .Where by fooles bee vnderflandeth tanners andwickedmen, who abufe their profperitie,by fetting theirheartsvpon it,louing and trufling in it more then in God, and flrengtlsening themfe.luesthereby to commit all manner offanne andwic. kedneffe. So that worldlymen enioying profperitie,and ta- king all their delight and felicitie in it,are not vnfitly com- pared to the little infant,who fitteth atthe hole oftheAfpe, andplaieth with the Cockatrice, whole paflime is their ru- ine,and theirpieafuredeath.Orlike the childeplaying with the fire; who no fooner toucheth it with his finger but is burnr,and changeth his fport into teares and crying ;fauing that hereintheyare much more foolifh then littlechildren, for they feeling the fmarc doe euer after dread the fire;but thefe being often burned with the bright fpining flames of worldly profperitie,are not warned, nor made morewarie by their owne harmes,but as being befotted in their loue, they flitl imbrace their ruiue,and hunt after that whichmofi hurteththem; like vnto the foolifh flye,w hich is fo deligh- ted with the light ofthe candle, that it regardeth not the beateof the flame, butburningone legge after another, ta- keth no warning till bebewhollydeflroyed and confumed. And fo doth the doting loue ofthefe fond worldlingsbe- reaue themnot onelyof all religion, but alto of' the vfe of reafon;yea info flupifieth the fenfes that they are deafe toall admonition ; inCenfible oftheir owns finart,and innopoili- bilicie ofbeing ruled, and gouerned, ordered,orcöntained by anylaw: in which refpe& Chryfoftomecompareih them (tryfoft.in co fucha man,asdwelling with a faire maid whom he fond- Match,ra.ho lyalfeCleth,isbyfltiCl order inioyned,thathee preftunenot Matt;, to looke vpon her with lafciuious and wanton glances ;.a thing tohimno leffe vnpleafant then impoffible. 4.Seti.z. But the great danger ofyt'oddly prpfperitie will more plainly
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