Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Of the right vfe ofhaveur,r iher,a zdpleafieret. I87 little pleafure in them,in comparifon ofthat wonderful) de- mergaritis et lighr, which his hungrie foule taketh in God his heaucnlyindumenth Father. preciofi ,fit, And if wee thus efleeme, affe& and recite their worldly M carius No- things in our iudgement,heart and pra&ife,then will it alto & eti. t o. neceffarily follow, that weewill only vfe lawful] meanes in Tüatroemuß the attaining voto them; contemning and defpifng them, vfethofe means when as they are offered vino vs vpon euill & vnlawffid con- onety which are ñitions,as being the diuels alluring baits,wherwith he inti lawl]'tt for tha ceth vs to offend God,and to hazard the loffe of thole fpiri- teh'emireffirntVf tuall,heauenly and eternall excellenciesfor the obtaining of:hings. thefebafe,earrhly, and momentanie vanities. And then aI- fo will we not be much troubled, though we faile of them when we feeke them,or haue them taken from vs when we poffeffe them : fo that in (+cad of them the Lord giueth vs his fpiriruall graces,and affureth vs ofhis heauenly ioyes; as not thinking it much to want thefe trifles, when wee are in- niched with thofe incomparable treafures, and gifts of farre better value. Neither will we then enuie the flourilhiug e- Bate of wicked worldlings,no more then the heire apparant ofa kingdome, enuieth the prefent poffcfï;ons of apoore cotager. And thus haue I (hewed the lawfull vfe of thefe worldly &,Serrl.t I. bleflìngs,in regard ofour efleeming,louing, and Peeking af- of:he tat'futl ter them. Now we are alto to adde fomething of their law- ofe ofthefe full vfe,in regard of our poffe ling and difpofing them; lea earthtythings, wing the more full handling hereof, till I come to fpeake of piog;]iitg dour the particulars. And to fay nothing ofthofe former pointsdfpofragthem, ofeuleeming and louing them, which are common both to the feeking and poffeflìng ofthefe things, becaufe it is eafie fot the difcreet Reader to apply it alto to this purpofe ; wee are further to know, that if we would haue a lawfull vfe of thefe things,foas they may indeed be blefïings.ofGód unto vs,thenmull we in the firflplace ianaiflc them vnto our vie by the word ofGod and prayer; according to the Apoflles r,Tim,4 . rule, emery creature of od is good, being fanetified by the word of Godand prayer; by the word, as it doth (hew and warrant the right vfe ofit,fo as it tray be done in faith,and by prayer, as