Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Of ciuill wifedeme. 71 hadour cenwerfation in the World. Thirdly, when it is ioyned with truth and fidelitie, lull and vpright dealing. Fourthly, when onely lawfull and good meanes be vied for the effe- ¿ting and accomplifhing of our defignes, for that onely de- ferueth the name of wifedome, when by the vfe of honeft and lawfull meanes a man can bring to paffe things ofdiffi- cultic. Fiftly,when as therein wee aime at good ends,as the advancement ofGods glorie, the furtherance of his reli- gion the good ofthe Church and Common-wealth,and the benefit and welfare,eitherofour felues, or our neighbours. And laflly,when being indued with this wifedome wee doe not glorie in it, nor fec ourhearts vpon it, preferring it in our loue, before that wifedome which is diuine and firì- tuall,nor trufting and relyingvpon it more then vpon Gods promifes.prouidence and affiftance. Whereby it appeareth, that if wee will entertain ciuill and worldly wifedome,wee mutt definer it frommany corruptions to which vfually it is inthralled : and as one faith,if we be in loue with this captiue woman hecau fe (he it beautiful! to the f ght, we muffthane of her Hieronym.ad alluring haires,take away the deceitful! ornaments of her inti- Pammachiuw, ctngli,ord r; cat off the dead nailer ofrapine andgreedineff , and corm'. rraJZ her cleave with thatfaller: /eape andniter of the Prophet, that is,purgeand reforme heraccording to the doctrine of the Prophets, and word ofGod. And ifthefe cautions bee thus obferued,then is it lawful' to vfe this ciuill policie, and to our douelikefimplicirie,to vide the f rpentine wifedom. As for example, we may inChriltian politic make queftion of mens faire pretences, when wee haue no found reafon, whereupon we may ground ourbeliefe,and maymake triall before we fruit them, cfpecially in matters of great impor- tance, hauing for our prefident the example of our Sauiour Chrift, who though many profeffed that they beleeued in him,when they taw his miracles, yet knowing theirvncon. 1011.2.. 4. . ftancie, he. would not commit himfelfe vnto them. So like- wife we may vie all good and lawfull policie,topreferue the peace of the Church, and to further the Gofpell : and thus Paul by the aduice of the other Apoftles affociateshimfelfe with the foure Nazarites in their purifications and offrings, F 4 as