The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

[Luxuriant animi rebus plerumque secundis.]

The luxuriances of prosperity, bring us so frequently under the pruning hook. The surfeits and summer fruits of fullness and carnal contentments and delights, do put us to the trouble of our sicknesses and our Physic. [How hardly shall rich men enter into Heaven?] saith he that well knew who should enter. Saith Augustine [Difficile, immo impossibile est, ut praesentibus & futuris quis fruatur bonis; ut hic ventrem, & ibi mentem implea•: ut à deliciu ad delicias transeat; & in utroque seculo primus s•t▪ ut in terrâ & in coelo appareat gloriosus?] The hope is, that [with God such humane impossibilities are possible] But it's more terrible, than desirable to be put upon so great a difficulty. Sweet dishes will have wasp• and flies; but most of them are drowned in their delights. Saith Boethius of Prosperity and Adversity; I••a fallit, haec instruit: illa mendacium specie bonorum merits fruentium ligat: haec cogitatione fragilis faelicitatis absolvit: Itaque illam videas ventrosam fluentem, suique semper ignaram: hanc sobriam, succinctamque ac ipsius adversitatis exercitatione prudentem. A full meal seems best in the eating; but a light meal is better the next day. More thank God in Heaven for adversity, than for prosperity: And more in Hell cry out of the fruit of prosperity, than of adversity. Many did never look towards Heaven, till affliction cast them on their backs, so that they could look no other way. [It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes] saith David, Psal. 119.71. [Before I was afflicted, I went astray.] v. 67. [In very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me] v. 75. One sight of Heaven by faith will force you to reckon that the sufferings of this present time are unworthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us] Rom. 8.18