Although the Bee, be not so easily caught in the gins of the Spider, as the poor Fly, or being once entangled, is not so easily poisoned: yet common experience, doth make it a plain case, that oftentimes she is overthrown therein, and compelled to yield her-self a prey unto tyranny. But considering how easily our affections be carried away by corruption, to wit, faultiness, natural to decline to the worse part, it seemeth ⟨p. 93⟩most wonderful to me, that you being so near a neighbour to heresy, are yet undrowned in the dregs thereof more then untainted, to the danger of your overthrow yet to come: for why? are not the best subject to change? I mean the wisest, to folly? and the holiest to wickedness? let the example of Solomon, witness the trueth in this case, who although he were the only paragon of the world, fell to idolatry, the most noisome of pestilences, and to all uncleanness of body. Doth not likewise the example of our first parent Adam, make it plain, that our nature being at the best, is even then most subject, to take the wickeddest course? O wretched estate, what reckoning shall we make of our selves which seeming to stand, are ever falling, which outwardly carrying the countenance of security, have at home, such an enemy, as doth practise our continual estrangement with God! and besides this are environed with a world of ungodly allurements. But yet amidst these dangers, twice, O Merciful God whose grace superaboundeth sin, whose mercy dispenseth with all our faults, ⟨p. 94⟩and whose holy spirit doth indue us with wisdom, to descry the subtleties of Satan, with strength to stand against them, yea and with constancy, to continue in his love, fear, and true worship. I appeal to your conscience, whether the Lord hath dealt with you less fatherly, then in old time he did with Daniel in the Lyons den, with Jeremiah in the miry dungeon, or with Jonah, in the belly of the whale? they saw their danger imminent, which did put them in mind to repair to the Lord. But you I know, yea I know it to well (if it pleased GOD it should be otherwise) have continually laid before you the fairest baits of the world to betray you, where-under lurketh the peril of perpetual damnation, and yet the Lord be praised, do continue his true and faithful servant unvanquished.
ALthough the Bée, be not so easely caught in the gynnes of the Spider, as the poore Fly, or being once intangled, is not so easely poysoned: yet common experience, doth make it a plaine case, that oftentimes she is ouerthrowne therein, and compelled to yeald her-selfe a prey vnto tiranny. But considering how easily our affections be caried away by corruption, to witte, faultinesse, naturall to decline to the worse part, it séemeth ⟨p. 93⟩most wonderfull to me, that you being so néere a neighbour to heresie, are yet vndrowned in the dreggs thereof more then vntaynted, to the daunger of your ouerthrow yet to come: for why? are not the best subiect to change? I meane the wisest, to folly? and the holiest to wickednesse? let the example of Salomon, wilnesse the trueth in this case, who although he were the only parragon of the world, fel to idolatry, the most noysome of pestelences, and to all vncleanenesse of body. Doth not likewise the example of our first parent Adam, make it plaine, that our nature being at the best, is euen then most subiect, to take the wickeddest course? O wretched estate, what reckoning shall we make of our selues which séeming to stand, are euer falling, which outwardly carrying the countenance of security, haue at home, such an enemy, as doth practise our continuall estraungement with God! and besides this are inuironed with a world of vngodly allurements. But yet amids these daungers, twise, O Merciful God whose grace superaboundeth sin, whose mercy dispenceth with all our faults, ⟨p. 94⟩and whose holy spirit doth indue vs with wisedome, to destry the subtilt••s of Satan, with strength to stand against them, yea and with constancy, to continew in his loue, feare, and true worship. I appeale to your conscience, whether the Lord hath dealte with you lesse fatherly, then in ould time he did with Daniell in the Lyons denne, with Ieremy in the miry dungeon, or with Ionas, in the belly of the whale? they saw their daunger imminent, which did put them in mind to repaire to the Lord. But you I know, yea I know it to well (if it pleased GOD it should be otherwise) haue continually layd before you the fairest baytes of the world to betray you, where-vnder lurketh the perrill of perpetual damnation, and yet the Lord be praysed, doe continew his true and faithfull seruant vnuanquished.
