Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

p That mere moral and cáuálf vertues are to be contemned. which they arife; for they are either inward, and in our felues; or outward in fome externall worldly obie &: The inward either arife from fortething in our foules, or in our bodies; the tentations of the former kinde refpe &,either vertues,or fome other gifts and ornaments ofthe foule. By vertues I vnderfland not thofe which are truly religious graces and holy duties ioyned-with the kuowledge,loue, and feare ofGod ; but thofe morali, ethicall and civill ver= tues,which are in a man vnregenerate before his comer- fion,which may well be reckoned as parts of worldly pro. fperitie,feeing there is no earthly comfort,nor worldly hap - pineffe without them.. The which in this difcourfe I.purpofe not to take flri&ly, but to comprehend vnder this name the facultiewith the fun& ion, the internal! habite with the .ex- ternal a& and operation; all which in themfelues are good, as being the gifts ofGod, either which wee haue naturally and ordinarily bellowed vpon vs in our creation, or more extraordinarily wrought in vs by Gods fpirit,which may be called peculiar gifts, if we refpe& the former, becaufe they are not bellowed vpon all that are vnregenerace ; but are vfually by diners called the common gifts of theSpirit,be- ing oppofedtofan &ifying and Caning graces, becaufe they are common to the ele& with the reprobate. But howfoe- uer they are good, as Gods gifts,and in their ovvne nature, yet they are not good in vs, becatífethey are imperfeet and mingled with corruption,nor good to vs,becaufe Satan, the world,and ourown finfull flefh ábufing thern,doraife out of thëamofl dangerous tentation namely, that becaufe they excel! all other worldly things,-and wee excel! in them the ordinarie fort of men, therefore wee mull fo dote on them, andouerweene their worth,as though our chiefe happines confifled in them,negle&ing in the meane time all fan&ify - ing graces as needleffe, becaufethefemorall and ciuillver- tues were fiiflîcient for our faluacion. And thus the whole fe& of the Stoicks were abufed & deluded in ancient times, and herewith the Papiits in our owne times are (though not quite blinded, yet) fhrewdly bleered; and amongíl our felues many worldlings,andvnregeneratemen, are pitifully snaked,