I. For temporal benefits, as wealth, honour, liberty, outward peace, the Lord dealeth very bountifully with them:1 He makes his sun to shine upon the just and unjust: he fills their bellies with his hid treasures: and as David saith, I fretted at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked: for there is no bonds in their death, but they are lusty and strong, they are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued as other men. 2But yet he holds back that which is the principal ⟨p. 676⟩thing, and the very glory of these benefits, that is,3 the right use of them. For that a man may purely use Gods creatures, two things are required. First, his person must stand just and sanctified before God by faith in Christ. For until a mans person please God, his work shall never please him. Secondly, he must use the same creatures purely: which is done partly by invocation of Gods name, and partly by referring them to their set and appointed ende•; which are Gods glory, a mans own and his neighbours good. But all this is flat contrary in the ungodly man. For first, he is forth of Christ, so that his person stands unjust before God. And therefore all his actions (even those which otherwise are lawful and good) in him are mere sins. Secondly, he useth Gods gifts and blessings with an evil conscience. For by reason of his want of grace to believe, he cannot resolve himself, that God as his father doth bestow his blessings on him as his beloved child in Christ; yet as a thief and an usurper, against his conscience he useth them. Add further, the creatures are used of him without invocation: for such an one can not pray; and therefore he doth but as the swine in the •orrest, which feedeth on the mast, but never looketh up to the tree whence it falleth. Thirdly, he useth Gods gifts to evil ends: because either he makes an idol of them by setting his heart on them, or else he employeth them to riot, pride, and the oppression of godly men. A master of music hath his house furnished with musical instruments of all sorts: and he teacheth his own scholars artificially to use them, both in right tuning of them, as also in playing on them: there comes in strangers, who admiring the said instruments, have leave given them of the master to handle them, as the scholars do:
I. For temporall benefits, as wealth, honour, libertie, outward peace, the Lord dealeth very bountifully with them:1 He makes his sunne to shine vpon the iust and vniust: he fills their bellies with his hid treasures: and as Dauid saith, I fretted at the foolish, when I saw the prosperitie of the wicked: for there is no bondes in their death, but they are lustie and strong, they are not in trouble as other mē, neither are they plagued as other men. 2But yet he holdes backe that which is the principall ⟨p. 676⟩thing, and the very glorie of these benefits, that is,3 the right vse of them. For that a man may purely vse Gods creatures, two things are required. First, his person must stand iust and sanctifieed before God by faith in Christ. For vntill a mans person please God, his worke shall neuer please him. Secondly, he must vse the same creatures purely: which is done partly by inuocation of Gods name, and partly by referring them to their set and appointed ende•; which are Gods glorie, a mans owne and his neighbours good. But all this is flat contrarie in the vngodly man. For first, he is forth of Christ, so that his person standes vniust before God. And therefore all his actions (euen those which otherwise are lawfull and good) in him are meere sinnes. Secondly, he vseth Gods gifts and blessings with an euill conscience. For by reason of his want of grace to beleeue, he cannot resolue himselfe, that God as his father doth bestow his blessings on him as his beloued child in Christ; yet as a theefe and an vsurper, against his conscience he vseth them. Adde further, the creatures are vsed of him without inuocation: for such an one can not pray; and therefore he doth but as the swine in the •orrest, which feedeth on the mast, but neuer looketh vp to the tree whence it falleth. Thirdly, he vseth Gods gifts to eui•l endes: because either he makes an idol of them by setting his heart on them, or els he imploieth them to riot, pride, and the oppression of godly men. A master of musick hath his house furnished with musicall instruments of all sorts: and he teacheth his owne schollers artificially to vse them, both in right tuning of them, as also in playing on them: there comes in straungers, who admiring the faide instruments, haue leaue giuen them of the master to handle them, as the schollers doe:
- 1Math. 5.45.
- 2Ps. 73.4,5.
- 3Dat legitin•um. 1. lege permissum, sed […] sanctum usum. Tit. 2. 15.Dat legitin•um. 1. lege permissum, sed 〈…〉 sanctum vsum. Tit. 2. 15.
