Four useful discourses viz. ... /Four usefull discourses viz. ... /

And then, as the variety of temptations is greater, so the suitableness of temptations is more; the Devil can prevail more in his temptations with fullness, than where there is want and emptiness; why, because though there be temptations in a poor condition, yet they are not so pleasing to a mans own nature as the temptations of a full condition. A poor man is tempted, but what is he tempted to, he is tempted to impatience, but that's no pleasing thing but a tedious thing; and he is tempted to despair, but that hath no pleasingness with it; and he is tempted to take shifting courses, I but there's fear in that, least he should be discovered and so be punished: So that their temptations that are in poverty, are not so suitable to their nature, as the temptations of one that is in a full estate; for his estate is a temptation to pride, to uncleanness, a temptation to intemperance: Now such things are very suitable to the very nature of a man, therefore there's a great deal more danger in the temptations that comes by fullness than by want, because the temptations of one are tedious to a mans nature; but the temptations of the other are suitable to a mans nature. As it's more dangerous to have Rats-bane lie about the house for your children, than to have Aloes or Wormseed: Suppose that Aloes had a poison in it, it's true it may do hurt, but it's not so likely as Rats-bane; because though Rats-bane hath poison in it, yet it hath sweetness in it too. There is poison sometimes in a poor condition, ⟨p. 26⟩that is, there are temptations to great evils in a poor condition; I but their temptations have a bitterness in them. But the temptation of a full condition hath a sweetness in them; and therefore there's a greater danger in them, and more difficulty to avoid those temptations.

And then, as the variety of temptations is greater, so the suitableness of temptations is more; the Devil can prevail more in his temptations with fulness, than where there is want and emptiness; why, because though there be temptations in a poor condition, yet they are not so pleasing to a mans own nature as the temptations of a full condition. A poor man is tempted, but what is he tempted to, he is tempted to impatience, but that's no pleasing thing but a tedious thing; and he is tempted to despair, but that hath no pleasingness with it; and he is tempted to take shifting courses, I but there's fear in that, least he should be discovered and so be punished: So that their temptations that are in poverty, are not so suitable to their nature, as the temptations of one that is in a full estate; for his estate is a temptation to pride, to uncleanness, a temptation to intemperance: Now such things are very suitable to the very nature of a man, therefore there's a great deal more danger in the temptations that comes by fulness than by want, because the temptations of one are tedious to a mans nature; but the temptations of the other are suitable to a mans nature. As it's more dangerous to have Rats-bane lie about the house for your children, than to have Alloes or Wormseed: Suppose that Alloes had a poyson in it, it's true it may do hurt, but it's not so likely as Rats-bane; because though Rats-bane hath poyson in it, yet it hath sweetness in it too. There is poyson sometimes in a poor condition,