Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

A second is, in all great changes of estate, for that is a time when a man should stir up his strength, because then ¹a man is most apt to be weak. That is, if a man •al• into great crosses and afflictions and adversities: and again if he be raised to prosperity more then ordinary, now […] him be strong: that is, let him look to himself and take heed now that his heart be not broken by the one, nor ⟨p. 215⟩puffed up with the other: now is the time for a man to be strong upon these great changes. As the body of a man when he comes into a strange Country, to change of diet and air, he is affected with it, it works upon him: so the soul of a man in all great changes of estate that it falls into, cannot but be affected with them: Therefore the Scripture calls it drunkenness: A man may be drunk with prosperity, and adversity, and a man is apt to be so: that is when a man is drunk his brain is weak, and the beer or wine is strong: so when the heart of a man is weak and the operation is strong, the estate that falls on him is strong, it makes him drunk both ways. A man is drunk with prosperity one while, another while with adversities; this is a time to be strong. As the Apostle expresseth it, Phil. 4. I am able to want, and to abound, ²to pass through good report, and evil report, That is, now in this great change, if you talk of strength, I am able to do all things through strength from Christ.

A second is, in all great changes of estate, for that is a time when a man should stir up his strength, because then ¹a man is most apt to be weak. That is, if a man •al• into great crosses and afflictions and adversities: and again if he be raised to prosperity more then ordinary, now 〈…〉 him be strong: that is, let him look to himself and take heed now that his heart be not broken by the one, nor