Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

47o Of the meaVar to odtaiee eantentat¡o,, be alwaies ready when hee calleth for thee to giue a recko- ning achy flewardfhi , §,Se61.II. Yea but the Lord if he would, might haue made mee ho- The reafbns nourable and humble,rich and gracious too, he might haue veil the Lord giuenme abundance ofhis ifts and a mind alfo to vfe them ,na/¿ub not all well ; and feein g others haue both, why haue not I as well as his children rich in all they? But who art thou O manwho difpurefl with God! trorldlybe- (hould thepot fay to the potter,why hail thou mademe thus? nefrpp, Though there were no other reafon why thou haft not re- ceiued there double gifts of profperity and grace,but Gods foie will, it were fufltcient to fatisfie vs, feeing they are his free and vndeferued gifts,which he may iuflly bellow where he pleafeth.For may he not doe with his owne what he will ? or is our eye euiil becaufe he is good ? Is it not enough for vs to be feruants ofhis familie, vnles we be flewards and chicle officers? lhould we not rather be thankful' for recetuingma- ny benefits,then repine becaufe wee haue not receiued all ? doch it not fuffice vs that we are made partakers ofhis chiefe iewels,and are adopted fonnes and heires ofour eternall pa- trimonie; vnleffe wee haue alibi feruants wages, and alarge fhare in earthly trifles ? and can we not bee content that the Lord bath giuen vs leaue to goe to heauen, if wee may not allochufe our way? But confider further that thou art not fcanted ofany thing thou delirefl, becaufe the Lord is nig- gardly in his gifts; for his bounty was fuch, that had it not been our owne fault, wee might haue been partakers of all: for in our fit-ll creation he gaue vs grace and glory,vertue and happineffe,abundance ofhis bleffings, and holy wifedome and pure affeElions whereby we were enabled rightly to vfe them. But by our fall in the loines ofour flrfl parents, wee brought our felues into the Rate ofcorruption,whcreby wee lofl all right both to fpirituall graces and worldlybleffings; and are wee not well though for awhile wee haue not both, ifthe better part be reflored vnto vs? By our finne we haue fo difordered Gods blcffings, and diuided hisgift, that very feldome his fpirituall graces and temporali benefits \vì11 rcfl- rogether,vnkffe by the fupernaturall and admirable worke ofhis holy fpirit they bee. reconciled ; and would wee daily haue.