Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

36 Of the daugeroufnesofworldlypro (/eritie. graces,caufeth vs to be more refpeétiue of our dude, and ei- therpreuenteth or mortifieth our finnes: Profperitie mol} vfually worketh in vs the contrarie effects; for it makes vs proud,infolent, forgetfull of Cod, and of all duties which we owe veto him, it choketh and extinguifheth, or at !cal} cooleth and abateth the heate and vigour of all grace and vertue in vs; and as the Iule whilell it embraceth the oake, fuckeththefapfrom'theroote, and in time maketh it torot and perifh ; fo worldly profperitie killeth vs with kindnes, whilefi it fucketh from vs the fap of Gods graces,and fo ma- keth our fpirituall growth and flrength to decay and lan- guifh; neither doe men euer almofi fuffer an eclipfe oftheir verrues and good parts, but when they are in the full of worldly profperitie. And as it fl:aieth our coude in godlines, and quencheth our vertues,fo allo it increafeth our corrup- tions, corrupteth our manners, and maketh vs prone to fall into all Iînne,ifwe be buts little touched with the leali ten- tation. And as the fertillfoile being more fat and flipperie, is aptes to giue a fall to chore that walke vpon it, then that which is grauellie and barren; fo this rich and fruitfull ground ofprofperitie is much more flipperie, then the bar - ren heaths ofaduerfitie and aßfi6ion,and not one ofa thou. fand Both goe long vpon it, but bee catcheth many down- falles,uot only into finne, but alfo into danger and punifh. mint which border fall vponit. To this purpofe one ofthe ancients fpcakethfitly, that abundance of profperitie, ita xo- Ambrof; de In- tablebatte tedraw vs veto finne,for it puffeth vs vp with pride, terpelliib.z. andmaketh vs to forget the author ofourwel are. And in this e'p4. refpe lanotherfaith, thatfelicitieirmoretobefearedthenmi_ A ugufi.enar- férie, teeing miferie for the mo/l part bringethgood fruite, from rar.inpfal.ój_ thebittsrroste oftrtbulation; whereas feltcitie eorrupteththe foule with peruerfefecuritie,andmaketh way for Satan the temp- ter. By which it appeareth that our danger is far more when the world allureth vs with the baites ofprofperitie, then when it threatneth and afflieleth vs with trouble and aduer_ iitie : from whence an ancient father oblerueth, that Chriff comming into the world that he mighrfhew vs the way,to heauen,both by his docîrine and example,made choice ra- ther