Chap. 2,2. Exp9 ion upon the Book of OB. `Teri, 26. 251 unlawful! to have much. And as it is not unlawful! to have much of the world, fo it is a great exercife and tryall ofour Graces to have much; As there are tcme Crt.ces of a Chriflian which come not to tryall till we are in want, fo there are other Graces which come not to tryall unleffe we have aboundance. Want tryeth our patience, and our dependance uponGod for a fupply ofwhat we have not and aboundance eryeth our temperance, our humility, our liberality, yea and our dependance upon and faith in God, for the fan&ifying,blefling,& making of that com- fortable to us which we have. When a rich man teeth an empti- neffe in his aboundance without the enjoyments of God in it, he exercifeth as high a grace, and fheweth as heavenly a Frame of mind, as that poore man doth who fceth and enjoyeth a fulneffe inGod, in the midit ofall his emptineffe. And therefore `Paul puts both thefealike upon a divine teaching, (Phil. 4.12. JIB all things .1 an inftrufled, both to befull and to be hungry, both to a- boundand tofaffer need. And had it been unlawfull toenvoy plen- ty, Elipbat had never preffed lob to repentance by this motive, The Almightyfba11 be thy defence, and thou /halt have plenty of jiver. k2 joe3
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