Hall - HP BX5133 .H34 1647

The Righteour Mammon. A are bur forthisworld, the rrueGodis Lord ofrhemher; and beginnes his glory where the glory ofrhe world ends : therefore crufr in him. Richesare uncerraine' rherrue God isAmen, rhefirfrand rhe !aft , ev<r lii<e himfelfu, therefore rmll i~ him. Richesoreburaliveldfeandfenfeleffemerall, rherrue God is a living God, rhereforetrttfr in him. Richesare bur pa{!ives in gift, they canoorbeOow fo much asrhemfe!ves, much lelfeoughr beGdEStbemfe!ves: the true God gives you all things to enjoy, therefore Trufr in him! rhe rwo !arret, becaufe they are more directly froodupoo, and nowfall intoour way, require a fimherdifcour(e• . (~I ch•i)the lif>ing God, is an ancient lnd ufuall title 10 rheAlmighty; efpecially Tbtli>mr· when he woulddifgracean unworthy rival! : As Saint Pa•l in fi1s fpeech 10 rhe Lyftrians,oppo(es 10 their vaine Idols, the livingGod. Prvu tgo, AI I Jivt, is rhe 11 oathofGod for rhispurpofe, as Hierum norerh; neitherdoe I remember any thing beiides his holinelfe,and his life rharhe fweares by. When Mojes afkrGodsnam~ he defcribedhimfelfby I AM. Heis, hehves: and nothing is, norhing lives abfolure!y, bur he; all orher thingsby pmiciparionfromhim. In aUorher rhings,rheir life and rheyaretwo; bur God is hisowne life, and the lifeof God is noother rhen the livingGod: and becaufehe is hisowne life, he is eternal!; for (as ThomM argues rruely againfr the Gentiles) Norhingceafes robe, bur by afeparation oflife; and nothing can bee feparared from it (elfe ; for every fepararion is a divifion of one thing from anorher: Moft juftly therefore is hewhich is abfolure, fimple, ereroall in his being, called rhc i1Vi11g God: Although nor only the liferhar he bath in himfelfe, but the life that hee gives to hi!Crearures, challengeth a parr in this title: A C glimpfe wqereofperhaps the Heathen faw, when they called himJupiter, ( (lw•) from ( '"") which fignifies tolive, lnhim,.elive, (faith Saint P~Hito his Athenians.) As light is from rheSunne, fois life from God, (whichistherruef<mleof theworld, andmore; for wirhour himit could not bee (o much as acarcafe; and fpreads it felfe into all the animate creatures. Life (we fay) is fweet; and (o it i~ indeed; themofr excellent arid precious thing that is derived from the common influence,.ofGod. There is nothingbefore life, but Being; andBeingmakes nodifrintlion of things; for than can be nothing that harh no Being : Life makes the firft and grearefr diviGon, Thofe creatures therefore which have life , we elleeme farre beyond tbofe'rhat have it not, how noble !Oever orhenvife : Thofethings thereforewhich have rheperfelleft !ife,mufr needs be the belt: Needs then muft it D follow, that heewhich is life itfe!fe, who is abfolute, fimple, erernall, the fountaineofall rharlifewhich is in the world, is mofr wonhyof all adoration, joy, love, and confidence ofour hearts, and the belt improvement ofrhar lifewhich he bathgiven us. Trufr therefore in the living God. Cove10ufneffe (theSpirit of Ood telsus)is Ido!atry,or(as our old TranOnion rurnes ir )worfbippingoflmages. Every ftampeor impreffion in his coyne, is to the covetousman a very Idol: And whatm•dneffe is there in this Idolatry, to dore upon abafe creature, and ro befrow that lifewhich we have from God, upon a crearure that barb no life in ir felfe, and no price bur from men? Let me then perfwade every foule that heares me this day, as]ac.hdid his hou!hould, PHI4J1)4Jiheflr4ngt god11hat llrt am"'gfOH 4tlti hte Gcn.3s.,. cltane; and asS. P<Midid hisLyftrianJ: oh '"'"'"'NJfromthefevllnitiuunlothe E livlsg Gotl. . The Iaft amalliveofour cruft toGod, is his mercy, and liberality: Who givu11J richly allthi,gJio<njOJ. A theme, wherein ye 'will grant ir eafie to lee(e ourfelves. ""'' ti"'"" FirO, GOd not onlybathall in himfelfe,bur he gives ro us. He gives, nor fomewhat ;~~;': "'"'1 ' (though acrufr is more rhen we areworrhy of) bur all thing,, And not alittle of all, bur richly; and all this, not to lookeon, burtoenjoy. Every word would re~ quire not a (everall houre, but a life 10meditateofir; and the tongue not ofmen, but ofAngels to exprelfeit. Iris herewith us, as ina throng, wecaogerneirhel mnorout: But as we uferofayofCares, foir fball be withourdifcourfe, rhanlje gteatnelfeofirfball procure filence; and rho moro we may fay ofrhis head, the leffe wewil!fay: Itwillcontenrusonlytoroprhefefbeaves, Gnce we cannorfrandto thre(b themout. . I Mmm 2 Whir

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