Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

That riches are goodin themf luet, and ind erent, 03-e. so But howfoeuer there riches are good in their owne nature, Sep _, and as they proceed from God the fountains of all goodnes, rhatrichesare yet they are not abfolutely and immutably good,but fitbic& mutab[iegood, ro alter their nature according to their owners, and to bee and o¡aogreat corrupted and abufed by mans finite, who bath them in pof- exee[lenetc, fet1ìon : and therefore howfoeucr they arc good, yet in re- fpéól.ofthe degree of their goodnes they are but of low and mean nature, and of little worth and excellencie, if they be compared with Gods fpirituall graces, or the eternall ioyes of his kin g dome. For howlóeuer the Apotlle Paul accoun- ted there creatures of God good and profitable helpes, for Phi.3r .,7.ß, the performance of the workes of mercie; yet comparing them with the fpirituall riches ofChrill and all his benefits, he eflcemed them no better then droffe and dung, yea Joffe in refpeC of the other. And this may further appeare in that the Lord doth appropriate his fpirituall graces as his chicle jewels vnto his owne children and feruants; whereas he gi- ueth riches as common gifts both to the good and bad, and more commonly and in greater meafurc to wicked world - lings,then to thofe¡who truely feare him.And with this argu- ment one concludeth,that riches are not abfolutely good,or Chryfoft.i ofany excellent nature:For (faith he) ifgoldhad seengoed ab- Ma;th.:s,Ha- folutely, lbitbout gueflion Chriil would hauegiven it to his Dif- mil.9t, ciples, rpon Vebom he beioreedg i fts of vn.ffieakeable value; but be was fo farra fromgiuinQ it them, that he didprohibite them to haute it: and therefore the ApoTlie Peter was not onely not alba- med ofhis pouertte, butalfofeeateth toglorie in it, faying, filuer Aua andgold haue Iuone.So another faith,that riches are giuen by Homin Agg .a, God both to the good and euill, lefi they fhould be thought tom.to. euill, or a good ofany excellent nature. I f (faith he)gold and flirter were giuen only to thegood, they might rightly be thought to he of tome eminentgoodne(fe: and if they' *ere only wanting to the euill, pouertiemightfeeme a great punifbment. eAnd if they were only wiiting to thegood,pouertywould f eme ble(fednes.But Diuitiu dantur now that we may know thatgold may lawfully be po f je d,thegood bonis,alapmalis, haue it, and that it may appeare that it is not theeaufe of their xe puteutio goodnes,the wicked alfa enioy it, &c.& therefore God bath díflri- bona, multis, batedgoldd- Auervnto më,as btinggood in their own nature,al ne puteutur P though magna.