Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Of the dangeroufnes of worldly profperítie, 37 ther ofthe affii&ed way,then ofthe faire paffage of worldly profperitie,that we might follow his fleps,as being farre the fafell way,to bring vs to our hcauenly countrie. Our Sauiour Gregor. part ° Chriff (faith he) might by beg right haste raigned ouer them as ral,curx,r.pr. King; whom himfel fe had created :but becaufe he therefore ap- cap 3. Feared in the fiefh, that bee might not only redeems, vs with his paffion,but alfomight teach vs by hisconuerfation, foewinghim - [eelfe an example for vs to follow, bee refu fed tobe made a King, and cantrariwife voluntarily offered himfelfe to flier on the croft"e, bee auoidedthe gloríe o f regiment, and embracedthe pu- nifhment of a fhamefull death; to this end, that his members might hereby learne,toflee the world s fauours,and little to fears hit. threats and terrors, to loue aduerfttie for the truth fnk4, and fearing profperrtieto auoid it; becaufe this oftentimes defiletk the heart with fuelling pride, and that helpeth to purge it y re- pentance. In that the minds, doth exalt it/elfe, by this after it u thus exalted,it is again humbled; In that a man f orgettetb himfelfe, in this whether hewill or no, he isforced to remember that which, he hadforgotten; in that goodthings before done pe- rifh, in this fatofts cämittedlong«o are clean fedand purged. For oftentimes with the tuti /lag° ofaduerfttie,the heart iskept down vnder difcipline,whereas ifit rufh vp to the (fern ofgouernmit, forthwith it is changed in pride through vfe of vaineglorie. But this may yet more plainly appeare, if weconfider the 4.Se.Fí.i: effeëis ofboth,in the examples as well of former ages, as of The great dam our owne times. For how difficult,and almofi impoflible it ger of profperity ìs to walke in this funfnine of profperitie and not be tanned,Jbewed by ex- to breathe this infe6ed aire and not to bee corruptedwith amples offer! noifome and carnall tufts it is euident,both on the one fide, g by thehuge multitudes ofthofe who in abufing it, haue bin abufedby it ; and on the other fide,by the exceeding raritie and paucitie ofthofe,who by the good: vfe thereof,haue bin made more vertuous, and better fitted for the feruice of God. For ifyou take a computation of both, you (hallfinde a greater difparitie betweene them in their number, then betweene the feruants of God and the fcruants of Baal, ac. cording toElias account ; the one exceeding the flarres in multitude,the other berm; as rare as black fwans,vnleffe we .D 3 will