Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

5'o 2eafont matting vt to contemee worldly pro fJeritse. orldlinosfor thefe good things in them, or done by them, temporal! blefiings and hcnehts,wherewith being rewarded to the fall, and fame above their deferts, they can expe& no more,feeing they haue no part in Cha las merits.Againe,be- caufe there is none fo good and holy, but they are blotted and gained with infirmities acrd imperfe &ions:therefore the Lord being infinit in iullice, doth not only punifh thefe fins in his owne deare Sonne, but doth alto chaftife and corre& his faithful! feruants themfelues, that they may be examples of his righteous iudgements, and teach wicked worldlings what they are to expe& for their trayterous rebellion, and outragious linnes, when as Gods faithfull feruants and deare children, are fo fharpely afi &ed for their flips and fmaller Ierem.z5.29. faults, which haue been alreadie fully punifhed in their Saui- our.0 that this were but well conldered, and then would worldlings have little caufe to be puffed vp with pride, be. caufe they exceed others in worldly pompe and profperitie: then would all (who are not extreamely fecure) when they are greatly aduanced in their worldlyeflate, carefully take heed that their fpirituall efface be not as much impaired, and feare Id} this temporal profperitie be al the portion that euer they fhall receiue : then would not thofe who wantthefe earthly benefits immoderatly de fire them, and fo vie vnlaw- full meanes to attaine vnto them, but would reft contented with their final! pittance and 'boa allowance, hopefully ex- pe&ing'to receiue their portion in the life roconie: then would not chofe that haue them, fet their hearts vpon them, but would willingly part with them to good vfes,that in ex- change they might haue the affurance of Gods loue, and their ownefaluacion, more certainly confirmed vnto them. And hauing this bate and brafen money of worldly abun- dance come to their hand,they would not hoord and ftillre- Caine it in their poffeßïon, but part with it vpon the next good occafion, left death comming the value thereoffhould 4S0.5. be cried downe, and fo become to be ofno worth. Proffieritieabu- Laftly, let vs confider that worldly profperitie immode- fed increafeth rate] loued, or otherwife abufed, not only depriueth vs of their condom- our ly in our heauenlyinheritance but altoprocureth a xatio>< who portion y P ba/e it. portion