Apoca7.2,4, §.Sea.1o. That theeons. rompof thefe earthlit gifts fheroetb their vilitie end barenejfe. 278 That all worldly things are but werevanities, hunger, clothed with rags, and tormented with fores and ficknefles. Finally,the whore ofBabylorris fuffered to haue inher hand a golden cup,ful ofvoluptuouspleafures andde. lights,and not only to drink thereoflargely her felfe;but al- fo to make drunk withher abundance the great princes,and potentatesoftheearth: whereas the poore Saints of God haueallotted to their fhare the cup of aftlic`?ious, wherein our Sauiour Chrifl beginning to them, drunke a larger draught,theneuer any morrall man. In whichrefpeét, the Lorddealeth with mankind, asthe wife Phyfitian with his fièkepatients; thofeouer whombee ismoftcarefuil,j re- gard bothofthe loue he beareth them,and the hope hecon. ceiueth oftheir recouerie, he flraighrlydieteth,forbidding themthevfe ofthofe meats and driìtkes, which byreafon of theirdifeafe they loue and delire ; andgiueth them many a bitter potion,and troublefomeplaifler,.that beemay hereby refldre them to theitr health: whereas contrariwife thole whom bee neglebleth,becaufe their difeafesaredefperate¡ and pall hope of cure, are permitted to vfe whatdiet they li(l without reflraint. And thus the Lord giueth to his deare fcruants whom hee intendeth to cure,the bitter poti- ons ofaffli&lions,and refiraineth themofworldlypleafures, which are fo delightful' to their carnal! appetites; whereas he fuffereth reprobatemen, who are defperately ficke in fin, to glut themfelues with thefe flefhlydelights, and to haue their owne carnali appetite,as the rule and dire ion oftheir diet. By all which it appeareth, that thefe worldly benefits ofhonours, riches.and pleafures arecommon tothewicked, yea, thatthey hauein them the largefl (hare, and great& part; whereas contrariwife God befloweth- his fpirituall graces, faith, loue, hope, a good confcience and the refl., as alto the of urance ofhiseternal! and heauenly ioiesvpon his ovine fcruants and children, who are moll neerc and deare vetohim. Whereby it is cleare and euident, that their are infinitely ofmore worth and value then the other; forifwe will acknowledge the Lord to bee a wife difpenfcr of his own gifts,we neednormdoubt, but .that hegiueth hiskart benefits
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