34 The J/4nily of the Creature. D=04 14, Prov.io.io. 23. Pax ,ai,6. great blef ling: for the diligent hand maketh rich;but cor- ruption is apt to perfwade unto cozenage, lying, equivo- cation, falfe weights, ingroffements, monopolies, and o- ther Arts of cruelty and injuflice, and by this meanes our lawfull Callings are turned into abominations, myfleries of iniquitie, and a purfuit of dcath.E very creature of God is good in it felfe, and allowed both for necefiity and de- light ; but corruption is apt to abufe theCreatures to luxu- ry and excefle, to drunkenneffe, gluttony, and inordinate lufls,and by this means a mans table is turned into a Snare, as the Pfalniiíl fpeakes. Now then, fince all the world is thus bcfpread with gins, it mainly concernes us alwayes to pray, that we may ufe the world as notabufing it,that we may enjoy the Creatures with fuch wifdome, temperance, fobriety, heavenly affe5tions,as may make them as fo ma- ny afcentsto raife us nearer unto God, as fo many glaffes in which to contemplate the wifdome, providence, and care of God to men, as fo many witneiTes of his love, and of ourdutie. And thus doth prayer faniifie the Creature in theufe of it. Laflly, and in one word, Prayer fan&ifies the Crea- tures in the review and recognition of them, and GODS merde in them, with thankfgiving and thoughts ofpraife, as Jacob,Gen. 32.9,ío. and 'David, zSam.7. 18. ai. looked upon G o D in the bleflings with which hee hid blef ed them. And now fince Prayer doth thus fanaifie the Creatures unto us, we fhould make friends of the un- righteous Mammon, that wee may by that mean es get the prayers of the poore Saints upon us and our eflare, that the eye which feeth us may bleffe us, and the care that heareth us may give witneffe to us that the Ioynes and the mouthes, the backes and the bellies of the poore and fatherleffe may bee as fo many reali fupplications un- to God for us. The ,third and lafl dire&ion which I (hall give you to ende rife in the Creature, (hall bee to looke on it, and love
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