Ofrheioyeeofhemeeh. 897 men,but altoofalthe refl ofthecreatures,fully concurred,as thefaithofAbraham,the pietyof'Dauid,9loueofJonathan, thewifdome ofSalomon,the beautie ofAbfalon,thc firength ofSampfon,the fweetnesofodoriferousflowers, the bright_ ties oftheSun, &c. who wouldnotadmirehis excellécy,and thinkhimfelfliappy,if hemight inioyhis loue &cópany?but al the goodnes,beauty,excellencie, andperfeEfionof all the creatures ioyned together, is nothing in compari ionofthar, whichwe (hal feeand enioy inoural-fufficient Creator,they being albut little dropsofthiseuer-fpringingfountain, final fparksofthis great flame,& leffe th6 a graine offand,in corn- pardonofthewhole earth& heaués:teeing he hash in him al beautie,glory, & goodnes,which they haueburin final por- tions;hehash ÿ in al perfedtid, which they haue imperfe6Uy, and in fome little degree;& infinitlyaboue al meafure,w'her- as they haue it but intheir meafure andproportion.Whereof it is that whatexcellenciesandgood partsareafcribed to the creatures (as we fayin the concrete) as beingproperties,and qualities oftheirnature & fubflâce,theyareal attributed un- toGod in theab(ira&&,as being hisvery nature it felfe,andof his effence &being;fo the creaturesare calledgood, but the Creator goodnes it felfe;man isPaid to be wife,holy, iufl, lo- ving, when ashe hath thefegraces &venues impartedvnto ltim;butGod is wifdome,holines,iuflice, lout, notreceiuing them fromanyother,but hauing them eternally inhisowne nature andbeing.In which refpc61 it is faid,that thereinnone agood but God :that heisbonly wire : that there is none c holy aMacth.t9.1. if theLord, yeanone 6efides him :becaufe none are fo in their b t.Tim.r.rq. owne nature, and from themfelues; but what theyhaue,they r.Satn.z.a. haue receiuedit fromGod.Fromwhencewe mayconclude, thatif therebe anybeautie, excellencie, goodneffe and per- feetion in the creatures, it is infinitlymore inthe Creator, from whom they firfthadit : for ifhe couldwithout impai- ringofhis owne excellencie and fubflance, impartvntohis creatures,fuchgoodneffe,beautie,and perfe&ion,by his foie word,making themofnothingfuchas theyare, andenrich- ingthemwithfo many good parts and properties, without impouerithing himfelfe, or abating any whit of his owne Mmnt ffore:
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