Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Of the civil exils,mhich tborldly things bring to their ollmerr.7i5 and impatient of bearing any loffe, that many, who haue bin fuddleny,& as it were, vnfeafonably(before they could pre- pare theirminds, and gather their fpirits) depriued of force final (hare oftheirabundance,ánd pruned of their fuperflui. ties,haue murthered themfelues, and like the Vine, haue bled to deathofthefe Height wounds,hauing no patience fo much as tothinkeofoutiiuing their loffe. For after that the loue oftiches hath once foftned their hearts,they are made weake,cowardly,and vnable to indure any thing ; and (hew themfelues onely patient and (frong in induring thebale fen. uitude of their riches,and in vndergoing al thofe feruile and painefull offices, wherein they will imploy them. To this purpofe one faith, that Chriflian fortitude fleeth couerouf- Ambrofotfic, nefè,as being a blot or blemi(h vnto vertue,which Both ef- 1b.1.eap39. feminate and weaken it; neither is there any thing fo con- trary vnto true fortitude and magnanimitie,as to bec ouer- come with gaine. Finally, voluptuous pleafures being im- moderately loued andaffeóled, do as much,ifnot more then any thing,eneruate v.ertue,and weaken the heart and mind ;.. making them,though theybe naturally couragious,foft and effeminate, whenmen too much arc addi6ìed to them. For. when leaning labour and manly exercifes,they betake them to carnal' delights, inuring themfelues to daintie fare, and foft lodging,and fpending their whole time in chambriug and wantonnes, dancing and reueliing, (ports and paflimes, thefe Circe, cups bewitch and poifon them,and caufing them to lay afideall manlineffe,do at bell change them into weak women, or which is worfe, transforme them into filthy fwine,abhorringall painesandlabour, and taking all their - delight to wallow themfelues in the filthie puddle of carnal( pleafures. And there curled Dalil es, lulling them afleepe in their laps with their fweete and enchanting fongs, doe take away from them all their flrength, and fo enfeebling them, n,ake them to bec eafilyouercomeofanyvice or finne, and readie to yeeld vnto any tentation ofSatan or the world. So onefaith,that in pleafures, the heart is made more loft and Chry£ofl:.in flexible ;but in affkiiouand time of mourning, it contra- Matthza.. atth hoteil4z>