Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

248 That thefe earthly things abu(ed, become frogs Tinto vs. ocularum,quod perience ofall times bath fhewed ; in fo much, as when bee fibiaperiri acn was to encounter our Sauiour Chrifl himfelfe, hee maketh amb iera; choice of thefe,as of his mofi forcible and preuailingwea- gaed /eeri pons; inticing him to vie vnlawfull meanes to pleafe his poff'equoddew taf#e,and fatisfie his appetite,to geta name,and obtaine the efl credaderunt. riches and glory of the world. The which, howfoeuer they Auguft.de fa- could not pearce or wound him ; in regard n that bee was de- lucar.docu- fended with the armour ofproofe, his p erfe puritie, and mentis.lib, , caps;, abfoluterighteoufneffe; yet he hath much preuailed with Matth.4. them againfkall others,fo as not any path efcaped vnwoun- dcd,and. without foile out of the conflibt, but whilefi they haue laboured to defend themfelues from the force and vio lence ofone,they haue runne vpon the point ofanother,and haue expofed themfelues vnto danger, men whileff they thought of auoiding and efcaping it. But as Satan hath al- walesherewith much preuailed, fo neuer more then in thefe claies.; in which almofi all men are fo bewitched with the loue of thefe earthly things,that they are roadie to yeeld ve- to any tentation, to negleél any dutie to God or man, and to commit any finne, fo as they may atraine vnto their worldly ends; and compaffe thefe earthly vanities which they fo much dote vpon. Neither hath this poifon only in- fe ied profeffedworldlings,who greedily drinke itvp with loue and admiration ; but mien the profeffours ofGods true religion,who haue proclaimed their defiance againfl world - lie vanities,are fo tainted and corrupted with their contagi- on,that they grow fliffe and benummed in performance of Chriflian duties; and readie to wound their confciences with finne, when as thefe plcafing orators perfwade them hereunto. 44e0.4. But how dangerous and pernicious thefe triple forces are, Honours plunge when they are united and conioyned, it may eauily appeare men ¡NO moor ifweconfider, of their perillous flrength being fingled the dangeroiwten- one from the other. For firfs,how manifold and dangerous rations. are the tentations into which honours plunge men,when as they ouerualew, and immoderately affe& them ; making them to forget all duties' hich belong vnto God, and to negledall good offices natural], ciuill, and religious which they