Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

2 f 2 7 he worldling: idolatrie. are to bee contemned and defpifed ; wee are to affect them, when in their lawful! vfe they tend to the letting foorth of Gods glorie,the good of his Church,and the furthering and affuring of our owne faluation. And contrariwife we are to contemne them, when as being abufed by Satan and our corruption they become tentations, prouocations, and in- ftruments oflnne, and confequently notable impediments to hinder ourfaluation.To which purpofeswhen they ferue, and offer themfelues vnto vs vpon thefe wicked and vnequal conditions; wee are not only to defpife and reie& them,but alto to hate andabhorre them,as being the diuels follicitors, who by perfwading vs vnto fin, cofen and deceiue vs, firft of Gods loue and fauour, and then of the eternal! faluation of our foules. g.Sec 7.8. Now as they are thus abufed when the former condi- Thefe earthly tions arc negleCled ; fo efpecially when as we make idols of thins ie them and impart vnto them divineworfhip;more efteeming remak he idon them in our mindes, and affecting them in our hearts, and of them. more ípeedily and earnefily feeking them in ourprahuife and all our endeuours,then the favour of God, his fpirituall gra- ces,or the eternal! ioyes of his kingdome. Which idolatrie worldly men vfually commit,and in this refpeCt thefe earth- ly things, honours, riches, and pleafures, are Paid to bee the worldlings trinitie, which they ferue and worfhip in the Ephef.5.5 place of God. And hence alto it is that theApolllePaulcal- Co1.3.5. leth couetous men idolaters,and couetoufnes idolatrie: and Iam44. the Apoille lames tearmeth worldlings adulterers and adul. tereffes,becaufe they ereól thefe idols in their hearts,and lea- ning our true husband Iefus Chrift,commit fpiritual whore - dome with thefe earthly. vanities. And thus the ambitious worldling offendeth,who preferreth his owne honour be- fore the glorie of God; and more greedily feeketh the prai fe of the creature then of the Creator, and the vainc glorie of the world,before the eternal! glorie of Gods kingdome. An Ioh.5.44. example whereof WC hauein the Icwes, who receiuedhonour one of another, and did not feel a the honour which commeth of God alone. And in the rulers,who would not profeffe their Ioh.r a.43. faith in Chrift,. bccaufe they hued the praife of men more then the r