Ofthe rightvfeofhonourr,riches,andpleafitres. 18 t enable hidings receiued from God. And firft wee are to know, that if we would haue thefe earthly thingsgood, we mutt labour that they may ferueagood mailer, and that we whoare owners ofthemmay be truly iuftified,fan6tified,and the adopted fonnes ofGod, who inChriIl haue rccouered that rightand dominion otter the creatures,whichwe loft in ...Vans; for ifwe be not the children ofGod and heires of his promifes,we haue no title tohis goods, but intrude vp- on them by vturpation : if wee continue vnregenerate and defiled inour finnes, we (hall taint thefe blcffings ofGod with our corruptions, andturne them into finne; and if we whogouerne and di (pole ofthem be euill, we lhali imploy themto euill feruices, and making them to accomplifhour euill ends and purpofes, we (hall caufe them to bevnto vse- uili andpernicious. Foolifhtherefore is their pra6tife, who labour to haue every thing:good about them, and negle6t goodneffe in their owne perfons, and feeke toexcell all o- thers in all good thingswhich they pot%íïe, themfelues re- mainingeuill and deflitue ofall goodneffe, feeing through their corruption they will defile thefe gifts ofGod, andof ble(lings make them to.become curies, and notable hinde- rancesoftheir faluation. Secondly, although we are toefleeme thefe earthlybe- 4.Se11.6. nefitsasbeing the gifts ofGod,yet we muti takeheed wedo That memale notouerualue them, by preferring them before either Gods not ourrualue fpirituall and fan6tifyinggraces, or the eternall ioyes and there tnrear:b tea happinesofhis kingdome : for Tooke howmuch more ex- thb f fe excellent the foule is then the bodie, eternallthings then Godsfpiritutll thofe thatare temporali,the Creator then the creatures, and gracess fomuch arewe inour judgements to preferreGods fpiritu- all gracesandheauenly ioyes before thefe earthly and tranfi- torie trifles: neither (hall we receiueanyhurt by this valua- tion, for the more lightlywe account of thefe temporali things, and themore highly we prize thofe which are fpiri- tuall and heauenly, the liker wee are to receiue both from God,and to retaine them when we haue them : as we may fee intheexample ofSalonson, who efeemingwifedomea- boueall worldly pompe andwealth, hadbothbellowedvp- r.ß.3 N 3 on
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