Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

2 z 6 Of the cisniions to be obferued in the right vfe ofriches, felfe; for if we could delire and feeke abundance of riches, which are in themfelues good, by good and lawful! manes in a moderate manner, in refpe& ofour affeaion, and vnto good ends, namely, that according to our proportion of ri- ches we might abundantly glorifie God, and difperfe that which we thus gather veto the poore,and were made there - by more thankful! vnto God, according to the meafure of his gifts, and more humble becaufe we are more indebted unto him, I do not fee how this delire fhould be vnlawfull ; for if we may lawfully vfe this abundance when God be- floweth it, it cannot be that it is fimplie and abfolutely vn- lawful to delire that which we maylawfully vfe.But yet this delire ofabundance by accident and by reafon ofour corrup- tion, is euill and vnlawfull; becaufe they who delire abun- dance doe immoderarly delire it, and oftentimes vfe euili meanesin feeking to compaffe it. Secondly, becaufe in re- fpedtofour corruption wee cannot propound purely thofe ends of doing good, but delire and lecke it forfelfe- lobe, and for our owne vfe. Thirdly, becaufe we delire more then we can, or will imploy to good vies, neither is the fault in the quantitie ofour riches, but in our inordinate defires,and vniufi detention of them from good vies : for if we had loch an euer fpringing fountaine of wealth that could neuer be drawne drie, there were no hurt in it, if wee would retaine thereof onely fo much as might fuffice vs, and ferue forour owne neccffarie and lawfull vfe, letting all our fuperfluitie run abroad thecountrie for the reliefe oforhers, and for the refrefhing of fuch poore affli &ed foules as are dried vp with griefe and pouertie. For fo although we fhould hauealwaies abundance, yet fhould we neuer haue fuperfluitie, becaufe we haue no more then we well vfe.Fourthly,becaufe defiring and feeking abundance, we do accordingly take paines in vling the meanes, whereby we may amine vnto ourdefires; and confequently our thoughts and laborsbeing ofno large extent, are wholly taken vp in thefe earthly imployments,fo, as in the meane time we neither delire nor feek as we ought things of far greater excellécie, as Gods fpiritual graces,and the eternal! ioyesofhis kingdorne. And Jafly, in refpeót of our