Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

That worldly things withdraw men from Gatlin-nice. 695 med and excetliudyloued, doe make vs flacke and flothfull in thingsimmede- 1gß the duties ofGods feruice, and, in vfing the meanes which hoe rattly lolled bath ordained to attaine vnto the prefent poffeffion of his make uinthe fpirïtuall graces, and the affurance of his heauenlly ioyes.And duties niGeds this finne is a necef arie fruit and effe& of the former; forwhen feruice. we neglect the Lord,and contemne his fpirituall and heauenlÿ benefits, thenare wee alto careleffe and negligent in vfing the meanes whereby we may obtainc thofethings which we fo lit- tle ef cemeanddefire.And as tholewho haue drunkepoyfons doe prefently wax fi:iffe and bcnummed, and footle alter are feazed vpon by death, whereby they are made impotent and vtterlyvnable to performe any humane action : fo they who hauedrunke ofthat benumming poyfon ofcold contempt,,def- piling God and his rich graces,fpirituall,and eteruall,are'made ftrfi fluggifh, and Toone after impotent, and dead CO all good duties. Neither isthis rareand vnufual to fee thofe vpon whom the world fawneth,and who abound with earthly profperity,to be thus flacke and negligent in the feruice ofGod, and in vfing the means of their ovine faluation ; butfo common and almof+ vnitrerfall, thatfeldomefhail one find a man in great profperi- ty,who alfo is indued with great piety ; feldome flail one fee any burning in zeale, and deuout and earnefi in religious du- Er rara fumasl' ties, who hash the world at will, and bath plentie and abun- fxialburara. dance ofall earthly biefíings. It is true indeed, thatinreafon thefctemporarie benefits, fhould as the Lords wages, incou- ragevs to doe his worke, and hauing a tall of his bountie, of' which wee (hall drinke our fill in the life to come, wee fhould with more alacritie and cheerefulnefhe performe diligentfer- wice to fo liberal' a mafler : But contrariwife through our cor- ruption and vnthankfulnefl 'eitcommeth to page, that wee are rather hindered then furthered in all goodduties by worldly abundance ; and like gluttons and drunkards hauing floreand plentieof thefe good blef ings, wee feeding on them with a greedieappetite do furfet,and drinking ofthefe full cups with vnfatiable thirfi, wee are made drunken with exceffe ; and fo thereby our heads are intoxicated, our minds befotted,and our bodies enfeebled and difabled,fo as wee become,flothful and impotent to.performe any 'good dude of the feruice ofGod ; whereas loy theirmodcrate vfe,we might haue beenmade more Y y 4 firong