36 Ofthe daugeroufnesofworldlypro (/eritie. graces,caufeth vs to be more refpeétiueofour dude, and ei- therpreuenteth or mortifieth our finnes: Profperitie mol} vfuallyworketh in vs the contrarie effects; for itmakes vs proud,infolent, forgetfull ofCod, and ofall duties which we oweveto him, it choketh andextinguifheth, or at !cal} cooleth and abateth the heate and vigour of all grace and vertue in vs; and as the Iule whilell it embraceth theoake, fuckeththefapfrom'theroote, and in time maketh it torot and perifh ; fo worldly profperitie killeth vs with kindnes, whilefi it fucketh fromvs the fapof Gods graces,and foma- keth our fpirituall growth and flrength todecay and lan- guifh; neither doe men euer almofi fufferan eclipfe oftheir verrues and good parts, but when they are in the full of worldlyprofperitie. Andas it fl:aieth our coude in godlines, and quencheth our vertues,fo allo it increafeth our corrup- tions, corrupteth our manners, and maketh vs prone to fall into allIînne,ifwebe buts little touchedwith the leali ten- tation. And as the fertillfoile being more fat and flipperie, is aptesto giuea fall to chore that walke vponit, then that which is grauellie and barren; fo this rich and fruitfull ground ofprofperitie is much more flipperie, then the bar- ren heaths ofaduerfitie and aßfi6ion,and not oneofa thou. fand Bothgoe longvpon it, but bee catchethmanydown- falles,uot only into finne, butalfo intodanger and punifh. mint which border fall vponit. To this purpofe one ofthe ancients fpcakethfitly, that abundance ofprofperitie, itaxo- Ambrof; deIn- tablebatte tedrawvs vetofinne,for itpuffeth vsvp withpride, terpelliib.z. andmakethvs to forget theauthor ofourwelare. And in this e'p4. refpe lanotherfaith, thatfelicitieirmoretobefearedthenmi_ Augufi.enar- férie, teeing miferiefor themo/l partbringethgoodfruite, from rar.inpfal.ój_ thebittsrroste oftrtbulation; whereas feltcitie eorrupteththe foulewithperuerfefecuritie,andmaketh wayfor Satan thetemp- ter. Bywhich it appeareth thatour danger is far more when the world allureth vs with the baites ofprofperitie, then when it threatneth and afflielethvs with trouble and aduer_ iitie : from whence anancient father oblerueth, that Chriff comming into the world that he mighrfhewvs theway,to heauen,both by hisdocîrine andexample,made choice ra- ther
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