Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

That riches aregood to thofe who make good vfe of them. 2 r r with Chri(l and his fpirituall and heavenly graces, are as the Phil.3.7.1. Apoflle reputeth them no better then dung, yet in regard of our wcakeneffe, and too much loue ofthefe earthly things, we are more incouragedwith them to do God ferulec then with better gifts,and our minds alreadie inclinable to good - neffe, being manured with this earthly dung, become more fruit full in obedience:as the old wilie Serpent cunningly ob- ferued; Path lob (faith he) ferue God for nought? hall thou not Iob made an hedge abort him, and about his houfe ? and about all he bath on every fide ? thou hall bleed the worke ofhis hands, and his fubilance is increafe d in the land: Seíi. . And as they incourage Gods feruants to doe good, fo are Arches are ¡be they vnto them infiruments of well doing, and helpes and infnimrnts meanes, whereby they are the better enabled to accomplifh and measesof their godly and Chriflian defires. To which purpofe one sea doing. faith, that riches, paWerand firength halting in themfeluet no ßafil.de Innid, true felicitie, are theinfiruments of vertue to thore that vfeH°tnil.ri. them well, and therefore he is a wretched man that abufeth them; l:la unto him who taking into his band afrword to fight aQatnit his enemies,doth turne the pointthereofagainil him felfefor his ozone deflrtrîíion. But efpecially we are hereby inabled to per - forme the workesofinercie and of Chriflian liberalitie in helping the difireffed and relieuing the poore: in which bountie and beneficence wee more refemble our Creator, then in almofi any other verrue. And howfoeuer vertue and true godlinefl'e doth not confiflchiefelyin the outward fait, neither are any excluded from it through the want ofexter- nall things ; for a man is to be cíleemedbountifull who bath abouutifuil heart, and is efleemed of God a liberali bene- faóuor to the poore,who bath a largemind and a readie hand to giue,though it be out offinallabilitie,as appeareth by the example ofthe poore widow calling in her two mites, and in Chrifls promife ofreward to him that Mould giue but a cup ofcold water to any ofhis difciples:yet herein rich menhaue a priuiledge aboue others, in that they haue meanes to ex- preffe and thew their bountie,and to giue a vifble tefiimo- nie oftheir inuifible vertue, in aóìuall relieuing of the poore, whereby they outwardly receiue much good, and the giuers P z inwardly