Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

214 71tat richerare net to be condemned and reieEled. ders among the Papilis,as the begging Friars,the Heremits, and Anchorills doe religioufly abfiaine from the vfe ofri- ches,and profefle voluntary pouertie :It fltal not therfore be amiffe to adde fame thing more concerning this point, that thofe who maintaine this errour may be conuinced, and the weake confcience confirmed in the lawful! vfe ofthefe gifts of God. :Se.. Let this then bee the pofition,that Riches are not tobee That richer a >e condemned and reiedied, but to bee vied of them that haue not to be reie- them to the glorie ofthe giuer,the benefit ofGods Church, lied,becaufe and the furthering of the owners in all Chrillian and honell bleeng,a /God. duties. And this appeareth,becaufe they are the gifts and bleffìngs ofGod, which cannot bee contemned and call a- way,without contempt to his niaieflie who bellowed them, vnlefre it be in fomecafes in which himfelferequireth it. A- gaine, they are (as I haue {hewed) the inflrumentsof doing good, efpeciaily of Chrit ian beneficence;and therefore ha- ving thofe meancs granted unto vs by God, we are not con_ temptuoufly to reieót them, but to vfe thefe talents to the glorie of our great Lord and Mailer who hath intrufied Luk.16.50,.. them to our vfe. So our Saviour Chril} :doth not bid vs to cafl them away, but tomake vs friends of them, byliberall bellowing them to charitable vfes,that fo we may be recei- i.Tim.6.r7, ued into euerl afling habitations. And the ApofllePauldoth r8. not condemne thepoffeffion ofriches,but would hauerich dúúÿrcupiditn men difTwaded from their abufe, and perfwaded to a right totem copre- vie of them. Yea con trariwife the holy Choi} teacheth vs to heredir,nen fa- prayagainll pouertie, as being in it felfe fo farre from a flate eultatem.Aug. ofperfetfion,that it is euill, and both acaufe and fruite of I de c ca Dei thine : fo the wife Agur prayeth,Giue menot(faith he) poner- Pro.3o8.g, tie, left Thee Dore, andfleale, and take the name army God in vain. And fo fame is he from inioyning this wilful! potier- tie,thac he commandeth vs to labour and take paines in our Eph.4.2s. lawfull callings that we may haue fufñcient, not onely to re- s.TheL3.8.ix. lieue our own wants,but alfo that we may be able to relieue §Sell.$. the neceflìties ofother men. wÚ drbent are But theyobie6l,that our SauiourChrifl and hisApofile vojl dtbe gm- calleth riches the mammon of iniquitie, thornes, which choke a