Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

That worldly things withdrawour hearts front God. 673 therefore the Apofile before hee would haue vs to reft vpon., God with. fweet content,and to relie our felues upon his graci- ous promifes, doth firff will vs to lay afide avarice, which ma- keth vs to fruit ni the creature. Let (faith he)yonrconnerfationHeb.r ;.f. be Vbithout conetoufneffè, and be content with that whichyou haue, for he bath Paid, l will not faile thee, neither forfal(e thee. And therefore ifwe would loue our God, we ntnff not immoderate - lyloue our gold; if wee would truff in Godsprouidence, wee muff not atilt in our owne prouifion ; and ifwec would fet our heartsupon our Lord and mailer, wee mull make riches our feruants,and notfuffer them to haue any rule oucr vs. Now be= Putchrior eft ing put to our choice, that our hearts may cleaue to the better ifie ¡ol quoin part,letvsconfider the great 'difference that is betweene the Peon uiatua;a3 clie excellencie ofGod and riches; this being-but earthlltrafh,and canon he the chiefe goodneffe, infinite in al perfection; thisimpotent, inia. Ei f and he omnipotent; this trantitory, &he eternall,And if(as one cbrior eft lux faith)thefun,which is not the Creator,but a crcature,doe fo far iftagi m pe- exceed gold in beautie & glory; how much more he who made É pnlc7r ó,gä thefttnne, giuing veto it (asit were) but the leali fparke of his feci, banc lx- gloriousbrightneffe,and that not from his effence, but b foie cootAugua. vertue of his word? Finally, ifwe too much efleeme and fix our de ditciplina affedlions-vpon the pleafures of the world, we cannottake our chriti.lib delight inthe-Lord, ifwe be loners of pleafures, we cannot be cap's' loners ofGod; for whereas they who loue him are careful! to a xfrtov. non .pletfe him by keeping' his commandements; thefe chiefly in- poriaa ref Tint. tending to pleale their-carnal! appetites, will not :Dicke todif- pleafe God, to pleafc themfelues, and by finne taprouoke lüs 3'4' wrath, fo they may procure unto themfelues fome carnali de- light. And thus the voluptuous wanton fo wholly fetteth his heart vpen his harlot, that hee feldome or neuer thinketh on God, and flicketh not-to difpleafe him in any thing, wherein he may giue her contentment; and thus the _glutton and drun- kard onely mindtheir bellies, and fet their - héarts upon plea- Phil.3a9. fing means, and dainty drinks ; and fo, by withdrawing them from the Lord, theauthor and giver ofall thefe hidings, they make in his place a God of their owne bellies, as theApoffle fpeaketh. And becaufewhere their idoll is, there allo mull bee Clemens their hearts; therefore it is faid, that the lutton (like the fifh lexand.pudag. which the.Philofopher calleth thé fea are) carrieth -his heart lib.a.capa. x in