Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

That dodtlrfirength is offmall iborth acid excellencie. I 39 haue a right vfe ofthem. But yet through the malice of our fpirituall enemies thefe gifts of God (like all other benefits ofprofperitie) are vnto vs the grounds of their tentations, wherewith they draw vs vnto finne; and their nature being infeóled with our corruption, they are oftentimes abufed vnto euill ; as when hafting them we glorie in thetn,or pre- ferre them before fpirituall graces,and the meanes of eter- nall glorie ; or finally,when as by them wee are hindred in the courfe ofgodlineffe, or furthered and ilrengthened in the way of wickedneßè. Andtherefore in the next place we are to arme the Chrillian, he may not be ouercome of his own flrengrh,& that his healrh be not vnto him the meanes of bringing him to death eternall. But I !hall not need to fpeake much ofthis,feeing that armour which was brought out to defend vs again(' the affaults ofworldly beautie, may by the wife reader be eafily fitted againfl thefe incounters alto; and feeing allo this decrepit age of the world (which now feemeth almofl quite abandoned of that flrength and vigorous health wherein the former ages haue excelled; and to be fully teplenifhed with all manner of infirmities, fickneffe,and weakneffe)needeth notfo much to be`confir- med and preferued againfi the tentations which are groun- ded on this lionlike ilrength, as againfl thole which arife from ferpentinc fubtiltie, and foxlike wilineffe. And yet becaufe firength is no more abated, then pride 4,Seíi.2. increa fed ; and men arc apt to glorie in thefe things,though That,, it a nothing in thcmlelues yet when being compared they ex -great vanitie to ceed others of ourowne times; it !hall not be amiffe to vfe glade in¡lrëgrh, briefly fome reafons hereby wee maybe preferued againfl IeangGod e- thefe tentations .And firfl concerning llrength(vnderwhich (lemethztnor, g a andtheGea/!t I alto comprehend, a&iuitie,nimblenes,fwiftnes,and fuck excel! 14 it. like efleemable properties of thebodie) wee are not, as the Lord exhorteth vs, to glorie in it ; nor ouerwecning the Ierem.9.23. worth of it, to prcferre it before things of much better va- lue ; becaufe being thus compared, it is of no great excel- lencie, and veto vs oftentimes vnprofitable,and fometimes allo hurtful and inconuenient.It is of no great worth, feeing the Lord himfelfe doth little efleeme itbfor as Elthtt faith, he