Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Of the caution. to be abferued in the right vfe of riches. 229 not defire and feeke, but wee may not pray for this abun- proy forabuo. dance,hauing no promife of it in the Scriptures, whereupon etance,andther- we may ground our faith. Yea rather wee are taught to pray fore nog de- againfl it, according to the example of wifè Agur; Gine mo jre¿t. not rieberfef ibe fh/l and dense thee, and [ay, tt-ho is the Lord: Pro.3o,8.9. andour Sauiour Chrifl bath taught vs to pray, not for abn.. dance and fuperfluitie,but for our daily bread, thatis;fuch neceffaries and conuenient flore, as may comfortably fu- flaine outlines ; and alto that we (hould not be led into ten- ration : now in refpel of our corruption this abundance is a notable tentation and (rare ofthe diuell, whereby he draw - eth vs from thelouc ofGod,and faflneth our hearts vnto the earth, betides innumerable other evils, which thereby hee worketh in vs; and therefore we who defire to be deliuered from tentations, are not wilfully and defiroufly to runne in- to them. Laf}ly,thisdelire and Peeking of abundance for our owne vfe is iniurious and hurtful to our brethren and neigh- bours; for Peeing thefe earthly things are circumfcribed,and but ofa finite nature; therefore it mull needs follow, that the more that fome abound with them, the more others want.And nothing can be mote vniufland vnequall then to depriue others of neceffaries, to the end that wee may .Dade our (clues with fuperfluities; but much more injurious are they vnto themfelues,in that they vnmeafur!b!y feeke thefe goodtalents of God, and hide theta in a napkin, neuer im- ploying them to the aduancement of Gods glorie, nor the . good of their brethren ; teeing they doe hereby.but.increafe their reckoning,and (becaufe they can yeeld no better ac- count) their condeEnnation at the day of Gods appearing. As therefore the flye when fhe doth but touch and tafle the honey receiucth no hurt, but is thereby fed and nourifhed; but if the doe oucr greedily tonne into it,is intangled and perifheth: fo if wee moderately ail-ea a- competencie and uis ficiencie ofcarthlyriches,theytend to our good and pre - :fcruation;.but if with too much eagernes wee wallow in a- bundance and.fnperfluirie, in head of receiving any good we intangic our fclues,andhallen our deflru&ion. 4.Se11.9. And thus muchfor the lawful' vie of riches, inref-pea of ofihe right vfe C.L3 our epithet in re-