Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

That the friendßbip of rrici<ed worldlings is to be contemned. i ys felues incountred, and inthralleth vs in the deepe dungeon ofínne,before wepercciue our felues takenprifoncrs. As therefore thoCe difeafes which grow vpon vs by degrees vp- on finali and not apparant caufes,are of all others mofl dan- gerous and incurable : fo thefe fpiritual difeafes of the foule, which fleale vpon vs by little and little,are not eafily cured, and moll endanger vs,becaufe they are not difcerned, vntiil cuflome bath giuen them full poffeflion,and as it were, tur- ned them into nature. And as men are no leflè fearefull ofa lingring confitmption,then ofa hot burning ague,becaufe it doth more certainly deflroy vs, though it Both not affault vs with like violence ; fo that corruption, which flealinglyin- feöteth vs through the familiaritie and neere friendfhip which we haue with a ciuil worldling, Both oftentimes moreendanger vs, then all the violent prouocati- ons ofinen notorioufly wicked,whereby they labour fttddenly, and all at once to plunge vs headlong into wickednes. The end of the fini Evoke.