Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Apoca 7.2,4, §.Sea.1 o. That the eons. romp of thefe earthlit gifts fheroetb their vilitie end barenejfe. 278 That all worldly things are but were vanities, hunger, clothed with rags, and tormented with fores and ficknefles. Finally,the whore ofBabylorris fuffered to haue in her hand a golden cup,ful of voluptuous pleafures and de. lights,and not only to drink thereoflargely her felfe;but al- fo to make drunk with her abundance the great princes,and potentates of the earth: whereas the poore Saints of God haueallotted to their fhare the cup of aftlic`?ious, wherein our Sauiour Chrifl beginning to them, drunke a larger draught,theneuer any morrall man. In whichrefpeét, the Lord dealeth with mankind, as the wife Phyfitian with his fièkepatients; thofeouer whom bee ismoftcarefuil,j re- gard both of the loue he beareth them,and the hope he con. ceiueth oftheir recouerie, he flraighrly dieteth,forbidding them the vfe ofthofe meats and driìtkes, which by reafon of theirdifeafe they loue and delire ; and giueth them many a bitter potion,and troublefome plaifler,.that bee may hereby refldre them to theitr health: whereas contrariwife thole whom bee neglebleth, becaufe their difeafesare defperate¡ and pall hope of cure, are permitted to vfe what diet they li(l without reflraint. And thus the Lord giueth to his deare fcruants whom hee intendeth to cure,the bitter poti- ons ofaffli&lions,and refiraineth them of worldly pleafures, which are fo delightful' to their carnal! appetites; whereas he fuffereth reprobate men, who are defperately ficke in fin, to glut themfelues with thefe flefhly delights, and to haue their owne carnali appetite,as the rule and dire ion oftheir diet. By all which it appeareth, that thefe worldly benefits of honours, riches. and pleafures are common to the wicked, yea, that they hauein them the largefl (hare, and great& part; whereas contrariwife God befloweth- his fpirituall graces, faith, loue, hope, a good confcience and the refl., as alto the of urance of his eternal! and heauenly ioiesvpon his ovine fcruants and children, who are moll neerc and deare veto him. Whereby it is cleare and euident, that their are infinitely ofmore worth and value then the other; for ifwe will acknowledge the Lord to bee a wife difpenfcr of his own gifts, we need norm doubt, but .that he giueth his kart benefits