• 14 P13l.•iP5· Ibid, lob> .,. tames s. f. e/1 Sermon preached ----~ rhe like. Plenteoujly indeed, for He bath not./}rinkled,but powredHisbenefit us. Not one!y Ble!fedbethe PeQp/e whofe God i5 the Lord(that bldling which is ~i~h1n robe efreemed, 1twe had none bcfidesit,) but BlejfedbethePeotletha:are ·f. r a cafe.. Tha_t Mejing He hath given us, .all things to enjoy plenteoujly; we::n::~· nay our enermescannot but confeffe 1r. 0 that ourthankfulneffe to l;lim, ando;; bounty ro H1s, m1ght be as plenteoru,as H1sgtfts and goodneffe have beeneplmteo,. to us! To move us from the two evillsbefore, the Apojlteufed their tmcmainty which isa reafon fromLawand the courfe thereof. So he might now have rold u; if tmj/ednot in God, we thould have the table turned, and His givi~Jg changed~~tak~e away; ouraO things, intowant ofmany things,and having nothing neere all· ourplem; ;mopenury; and our enjoying more than weneed~ into no morohan needs, n~rfomuch nwhcr. T~usHemtghr have dealt: but He1s n_owm apo1utofGoffidl, and there– fore takcth hts perfwafionfr~m thence. For,rh1s mdeed,1s the Evangeltcallarg 111 nent ofGodsj?oodnet[e; and there 1s nogoodneffe to that, whiCh theconfidmtion ofGo;/s goodnwe workerh in us. . . The argument 1s fomble; and fo forCJble,as that choofe whether this will move us or no: Sure, ifthis will not prevaile~vir~ us, we !hall norn eed Mofes nor chrijl, to Jic and givefenrence upon us; the Devillhunfelfewlll doe u. For,as wicked as he is andas wretched affirit~yet thus he reafoneth upon Iob:Doth lob fe•reThee for ~oughtf As 1fhe 010uld fay: fwng thou hafr dealt foplmtwtjiy,yea fo bountcouOywuhhim if he010uld not fervethee, ifhe fl10uld fofar forger himfelfe, it were a fault paflali excufe,a fault well worthy to becondemned. A bad fault it mufr be, that the Devi/J doth abhor: yet fo bad a fault it is(you fee)that the Devil! dorh abhor it. When men receive blellingsplentcoujly fromGod, and returne not their homAgebacke againe, 1111. •hankfNllrichmenfl1allneed no other Iudge but the Devill;;t~d then, as you fee,rhey arcfurerobecondcmned. For, ifG9dwillnordoeit, the Devillwill. Let me then recommend this third part ofthecharge royour carefu\1 remem– brance and regard. Ir concerneth your homage, which is your trnfl inHim, that you 'trttj/ in Him with your fervice of body and foule, who hath rrufrcd you with His plenty and !lore, and bath madeyou in that efrate, that you are trufred with matters of high impomnce both at home and abroad. For,it is the argumenc ofall arguments to the true Chrifrian, becaufe G o o harhgiven him(fairhS. lames) without expro– bration; and given a/J things,without exceptionofany ; and that to enjoy which is more thancompetencie; andrhatplcnteoNjly, which ismorethanfufficieucie; therefore, even rherefore,to truflin Himonely. Iftherebe in us the hearts ofirueChrijlians,rbis will thew it; for it will move us: andfo lee it I befeech you. Let us noc, asmen un· dcrthe Law, be tired with theuncertAinty ofrhecrearures ; bur as men undergra>~, have our hearts broken wirh the goodneffe ofour God. In that Godroplace our trujl, who beyond all our deliresgiveth : ifwe refpeCl: the quantitie, Allthings; ifthe man. ner, veryplenteoufly-;ifi rhc end, to joy inthem;yet fo, that our joy and repofccnd in Him :avery blelfed and heavenly condition. Th II . Truft in the .Lordandbe doinggo1tl, faid David: S. l'aulfaith the fame, chargeshe T/1;,,~.~-~::' ri,·hofthis vmld,that they-Joe-good.The tail was a very plaufiblcpqinr, which wehave good. dwelt in wirh great delight. What~ theplent] 9[ all things; that weenJoy, and long l'fo.l. i ?· l · may tnioy, I befeechGod: who isnocmoved with ioy tohearcirreporred~ . '. : But little know they,what a confequent S. Paul will inferreu~on rhts antecedent. For,thus dorhPaul argue. Go o hathdonegood to youby$wzngyQu; you alfoare bound to doegood ro others, bygivingthem. Ifhe ha~hg1venyouallthmgt, you ought to part with fom ·rhing: (and the more yo11 part w1th, thehker yeebecom~to Him, that giveth •ltthings.) IfHehavegivenyoutoeni9J, yououghcrorec~te or hers imo the fellow!hip ofrhe fame ioy : and not torhinke, that todoe othersgoo ,~s ' to dtyour (el'TJ_es ~urt, Ifplellteoujly H~haye'given you, yo~ougllt tobeplen~hl~;;
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