THE FOVRTH DECAD. T 0 M·. vv A L T E 1!. F I T z w I L L I A M s. ~o..A difi••rfi oftht trNt •ndl•wfuO •Jt •ftltA{um; hDW "' 111AJ mo:ltrAit them, how wt mAJ mj DJ thtmwithfoftty. ~:::;:::;;;;:::;;:;;;;;~;-,Ndeed; wherein £lands the ufc: ofwifdome,if not in tern. pering our pleafures and forrowes ~ and fo difpoling our felves in lpight of all occurrenrs, that theworld may not blow upon us with an uoequall g~le1 neither tearing our failes, nor llackniog them. Evenrswill varie; Hwe conti· nue the fame, it matters not : nothing can overturne him, that hath power over himlelfe~ Ofthefe two, I confeffe it harder to manage profperity, and to avoid hurt from good: llrong and cold winds doe but make us gather up our cloake moreround, more clofe : but tokeepe i! about us in a hot Sun-lhine, to run and not fweat; t-o fweat and not faint1 howdifficult it is ! J fee fome that avoid pleafures for their danger, and which dare not but abandon lawful! delights for feare oflinne; who leeme to me like fome ignorant Med.llilh, which D call: away the precious Ore, bccaufe they cannot feparate the gold from the droffe;or fome limple Jew, that condemnes the pure llreames of Iortl•n, hecaufe it fals into the dead Sea. Why doe not thefe men refufe to eate, becaufe meat hath made many glutwns~Or how dare they cover themfelves,tbat know there is pride inrags~Thefe hard Tutors, if not Tyrants, ro themfelves, whiles they pretend a mortified ll:ri~ neffe,are injurious rotheirowneliberry, to the liberality of their Maker: Wherefore hath he created and given the choice commodities of this earth, if qo~fj>r u!e ~r or why placedhe Manin aParadife,not in aDefart ~How can we more difpfeafe a Jibe. rail frieod, th<n to depart from his ddicate teall wilfully honory ~ Theyaredecei. ved that ~all this holineffe; it is thedifeafc ofa minde full1=n, dill:rullfull, impotent : There is nothing but evil!,which is not from heaven; and he is none o£Gods friends, E that rejects his gifts for his owne abufe. Heare me therefore, and true Philofophy; !hm is anearer way then this, and afairer 1 if youwilt be awife Chrillian,tr~alj:ill tt. Learne fitll bya JU/l furvey, to know the due and lowlull bounds ofpleafure ~d then beware, either to goe beyond a knowneMere,or in the licenceofyour ownedefires to temoveit.That God,ti1at bath curb'din the fury of that unquiet and foaming dement, and faid of old,HtrtJhalt th•uflay thy pr~ud w•ves, bath done no1efi'efor tbe rage ofour appetite, Behold our limits are not obfcure; which ifwe once paffe, our inundation is perillous and finfull. No jull delight wanteth either his '~arratit, or his teatmes. More plainly be acquainted both with the qualiryofpkafures,and theme~· fure: Many a foule hatb loll: it fdfe in a lawfull delight, through exctffo .and not fewer ha V< perilhed in thofe, whofe nature is vicious, without refpect of imtndileration. Your care mull avoid both. The tafie ofthe one is deadly ; ofthe other, a full caroufe:
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