Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Ofrheioyeeofhemeeh. 897 men,but alto of al the refl ofthe creatures,fully concurred,as thefaith of Abraham,the pietyof'Dauid,9loue of Jonathan, the wifdome ofSalomon,the beautie of Abfalon,thc firength of Sampfon,the fweetnes of odoriferousflowers, the bright_ ties ofthe Sun, &c. who would not admire his excellécy,and think himfelfliappy,if he might inioy his loue &cópany?but al the goodnes,beauty,excellencie, and perfeEfion of all the creatures ioyned together, is nothing in compari ion ofthar, which we (hal fee and enioy in our al-fufficient Creator,they being albut little drops of this euer-fpringingfountain, final fparks ofthis great flame,& leffe th6 a graine offand,in corn- pardon ofthe whole earth& heaués :teeing he hash in him al beautie,glory, & goodnes,which they haue burin final por- tions;he hash ÿ in al perfedtid, which they haue imperfe6Uy, and in fome little degree;& infinitlyaboue al meafure,w'her- as they haue it but in their meafure and proportion.Whereof it is that what excellencies andgood parts are afcribed to the creatures (as we fayin the concrete) as being properties,and qualities oftheir nature & fubflâce,they areal attributed un- to God in the ab(ira& &,as being hisvery nature it felfe,and of his effence &being;fo the creatures are called good, but the Creator goodnes it felfe;man is Paid to be wife,holy, iufl, lo- ving, when as he hath thefegraces & venues imparted vnto ltim;butGod is wifdome,holines,iuflice, lout, notreceiuing them from any other,but hauing them eternally inhisowne nature and being.In which refpc61 it is faid,that therein none a good but God :that heisb only wire : that there is none c holy aMacth.t9.1. if the Lord, yea none 6efides him : becaufe none are fo in their b t.Tim.r.rq. owne nature, and from themfelues; but what theyhaue,they r.Satn.z.a. haue receiued it from God.From whencewe mayconclude, thatif there be any beautie, excellencie, goodneffe and per - feetion in the creatures, it is infinitly more in the Creator, from whom they firft hadit : for if he could without impai- ring of his owne excellencie and fubflance, impartvntohis creatures,fuch goodneffe,beautie,and perfe&ion,by his foie word, making them ofnothingfuch as they are, and enrich- ingthem with fo many good parts and properties, without impouerithing himfelfe, or abating any whit of his owne Mmnt ffore: