Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

246 That thefe earthly thingo abufed,6ecame fnaresvnto vs. getting or keeping of thefe earthly trifles, which they fo much admire and affeól. 4.Se17.2,. By which nicanes it commeth topaffe, that thefe earthly That thefe bleffings are earned into curfes, and through the malice of the earthly things diucll, and our owne corruption, they become the matter through oour and occafion of many dangerous tentations,asbeing the or- the matter of dinarie wages which Satan giueth worldlings forferuing many griesoes him in (inne, and his common baite and allurement,where- tentations. by he inticeth vs to offend God,wound our owne confcien- Msl.z.z. ces,and hazard the eternal! faluation of our foules.For when he feeth, that the finne whereto he tempteth vs,is in it felfe vgly and odious vnro vs, either by thelight ofnature, or of the Scriptures,whereby our vnderftanding and iudgements are illuminated in the knowledge of good and cud!, thee doth bee can over it one ofthefe worldly vailes, and cone- ring this deadly hookeoffinne with one of thefe alluring baites, bee inticeth vs to fwallow it,to our ruine and deflru- 6ion. The which tentations are therefore the more dange- rous,becaufe thefe things being in their owne nature good, are leffe fufpe6ed when they are vpon fuck euill conditions thruavponvs; and alto becaufe they are of necefl'arievfe vnt© vs,which fpurre ofnecellitie pricketh vs forward to vie Crebréectafese any meanes lawful! or unlawful for the compafling ofthem, feduaionis in- and doth ferue as a pretence to excufe our greedineffe ; and as a cloake and couer, vnder which by degreesimmoderate exceffe,and neuer fatisñed voluptuoufneffe doth creepe vp. on vs. For whilefi we pretend,and perhaps intend to fatisfie onely our neceffities, and to pay, as it were,our debt to na- ture,pride,couetoufiiefl'e and voluptuoufseffe doe incroach vpon vs, drawing vs on to affed and delire fuperfluitie and exceffe. As when wethinke to fatisfienature bymeates and drinkes,beiug allured with pleafure, we offend through im- moderation, and fall into thofe odious Clones ofgluttonie and drunkenneffe : v hen we goe about to prouide apparel! to couer our nakcdnefle,and to preferue vs from the iniurirs of the weather,pride crecpeth in, and mooueth vs to finne either in Ionic wanton fafhion,or in the exceflìue cofllineffe of the fluffe. When according to our dutie we thinke ofv- fing menta dum ne- teffitati debita reddimuo,vo- loptatis vitio deÏersimrsr. Gregor.Mor. lib.zo.cap. r g. i