Ì he Chrftarar Larnall neffe, to lay it vp (as M4r did Chris fayings) in the midflof the e, P it pLuts.a.rp: will bee as a bulwarke, or brafen Ihield to blunt the pointof Sulam perfora. Bons. It is his policie to lay a kinde ofliege to a mans thoughts, with a Teeming good, and as much as in him lieth , tolet vs lee nothingof Gone, but the out - liidepainted ouer like whotithlezabel, with many glorious Ihewes, and bewit- chingappearances, pleafure,- profit, honour, taro, all very like to draw a man farre, vnleffeheebe otherwifeouerruled by the power of Gods Spirit. Euery one therefore that would(asSaint lamed fpeakes) keepehimfelfev/oited,vmutt q;am.i.27. beelike the wile man, ofwhomSalomon fpeakes, whole eyes are in his head ;'that rEadd,xag. is, who looketh not onely to the prefentface of things , burcafleth histhoughts further towards the iffue, fearing left where the entranceIs foenticing , 4-mend may tallout íipt to beê according : the confederation of themifery which may follow, cannot but be a preferuatiue to kaiaka man from being enchanted with the faire»lhewes ofthe beginning. Howmanymight.be keptfromgrell. fernes, iftheyhad care toobferue this rule? Incouetoufneffe,ignorance, pleafure,.wan. tonneffe,libertie , malice, drunkenneffe,excefie, extortion, falfhood, men looke onelyepos the profit,cafe, iollitie, and worldly eflimation that doth accompa. ny them ; bat thpoyfon that lurketh ruder there, the fpirituallvcnomethat masketh enderthere deceitful fhadowes , is either not beleeued , or not thought vpon , or elfe i s messprivate conceits fo muchk fened, that they pollon fill the rodeway beeing tolled alongby the delight thereof, and real into the bottomlellegulfe,before they are ware ofir. Well, ir is thepreeept of the holy Ghofe, that we thould be exhorted, left Weefbould bee hardened through the de. reirfalnefeoffeme. rI exhort you therefore, and in the Lord enereareyou, not fHeb.;,ilò to befo vnwife , as fora little fuperficiall pleafingneffe and fieady contentment in the wideand broad way ofvanitie , to purchale to your felues fucha mifery, the horror, the largeneffe, the euerlafing and andeointerinittingextenr,ghere_ of, noman lining is abletoefleemé. The life of manhere;isnotunfitlycom- pared toa Theater , in whicheuery man hath hispart fome longer, fome íhor.. ter,fome nobler, tome barer, according to the difcretionof the appoin ter : now would any onetake him for better then a madde man, that in an idle humour tai wearegay apparel , and to haue the handers bymakeobeylance to him, would be content all therefrdue ofhisdales to beea bare drudge in a urchin, or a lime in a galley, vpon condition that for an houre or two ; hemight be attired likea King and fit in a chaire ofefare, and take vpon him like agreat commander? furelynu. And what are we then, whohaving a-thew or two to make epos the flageof this world, are contenttobuyanendLffe bondage enderSathan, for a tranfetotiefatisfa&ion to ourowne finfull humour, in fomeflefhly and fenfuafl courfe,and vpon condition we may haueour fill of it,will norlicke to hazard our better part,and tocafeaway our owne foules? This is the !ï. f and chicleefe of this doetrine. Secondly, this point teacheth vs this good leffon,which is a point ofefpeciall vfa wifedome in Chri(lìanity, namely, alwaies tobane thole coutfes ingreater iea loufie,& to befufpitious ofthem,that they are not loch as it is fare for vs toenter into, which at ourfirfebeginning them , and at the workingepos our thoughts to estertainethem, doe make thew ofnothing but contentmentroour nature, that are euercharming vs with thenames ofprofir, ofplealure, of aduancenient it is meete forvs to leare, that ender there haires, there lyethTome secrethooke, which ifweedoe toogreedily catchat the fi,fiofEr, may fuddenlyentanglevs, and loan it were hooke vs in, that whenwee would we (hallnot know howto gee from le. Thewounds of loser Salomonfaith, arefaithful!, but the kis ofauenemii are tobetabnheedeof(e).Sathan isour grand-enemy,and finis the thing heleeices sp a to poyfon with, he laps it vp in thefweetnes of force luck thingwhich Is tafle full ro our naturallpalate;'aud when hoe rnakcsthe large!i o1%r,aa hendidcoChrilî, C syp
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