Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

t78 Ofhonourr,richer,andpleafurer. forme the condition of Gods donation, in louing,fearing, and feruing him; and to thofe only belongs the rightofin- heritance, vnto whom the blcffing alto appertaineth. Final.. ly, the Lord hath bellowed thefe his gifts vpon his feruants to good vies and ends, namely,that he might be glorified in them, and they furthered and incouraged in the perfor- mance of all good duties. And therefore needs mull thefe things be good, feeing they are good creatures, gifts and bleffings,created and bellowed by our good God, on good and faithfullmen,and that to good ends and purpofes. &.Se27.3. But yet howfoeuer thefe things are good, yet not abfo- Thattbrfe lutcly and immutably, feeingtheyare lubie&vntocorrup- tnorldly things tion,and to be abufed by man ; in regard whereof the Apo.. are murablie file faith, that the feruent (Wire of the creaturezvaiteth when good, andthere- the tonnes of Godfhall be reueiled; becaufe the creature it fub- fererebid! to iebi to vanitie,not of it wtll,but by reafon of him who hath ab %andcor- y caption. fubdueditvoiderhope; becaur the creature alfoJhallbedeliue- Rom.8.19. red from the bandage ofcorruption, into the glorious lrbertie of 20.21. thefanner of God, &c. And to the fame purpofe erfu ullme Bona murabi- faith,that theft thingsmutably good ,are therefore good,becaufe lia propterea they are made by the chiefegoodneff ,and therefore mutable, be- bonajunygrm- caufetheyarenot made of his orene fu6f1ance,butofnothing; in nine regard whereofthe are fubiedc to corruption,and apt to de.. bona fella rant, g eyc.Aug.in generate, vnleffe they be continually preferued by the fame Aduerfar.le powerfull goodneffe, by which they were at the hrft crea- giss het. ted. By reafon of which mutabilitie they are not good in any high degree ofexcellencie,but to bee reputed among fuch good things as are of meanefi efleeme, as being of an indifferent and low gitalitie and nature, in companion of 'pirituall and heauenly things.Neitherdoe they vnchange- ably hold this degree ofgoodneffe which they haue,but as the Chameleon changeth her colour according to thething vnto which it adioyneth; fo they hold their vertue and goodneffe whilefl they are in the poffellìon ofthe good and vertuous; but become euill to the euill, and readie inliru- ments of all manner offinne and wickedneffe, whilefl they are vnder the gouernment of the wicked and vngodly. So that in refpe6t of vs thefe things are neither good no; Quill, but