~cif-ttpa.l. We predch Chri 1 1crucified, nnio the Je~vs ~ji;;;;,b!ing bicck, a,,d to th< GrctiansfoolifoncJi. 2 . Tn< Wrll mu.t be renounced m reference to Chnfl. Serv,nts mull: not follow n~n [o!M71 m~rtheir own wlll, but their maflcrs clircd'ions: how much rnore ought we; who alwayes l.updi:J "'""' may jull:ly fufpe:t our fclves,and ~an never fufped the 1vil/ ol Chrilt, it being ~he fquare :!~~~l~:n~;;r",{i; ofri"ht F For therefore is a thmg good.. and JUfl, and equal) bccaure God wills it . fmun; ni{i bo hene~ *our wtll, if good, yet fometimes it mull: be dcnyed ; but if evil, and comr"ry ::; 't:,,;i?1~~;ni · to the Will of God, it muff be fubdued. It IS meet that Hagar ihould ltoop toS.<rab, abn.·t liJJ' 1·giour will to Chri!l's n·i/1. mu;. )<>h.qo 3 .. Our Affections and Smfcs niull: b~ denyed, both as good, and as they are cberi!h. Vcrf.23 "'VoluntlltU Luke,. 42 crs of evil· or oppofcrs of good. Th1s latter IS that crmfymg cftheflejh, with the lujfs Nmmeao,fun· 11,1 d ajf,[f/or.s, w!1ich the Apo'lle mentions. But all thefe being within the compaife '"' f.'drH••fiar ofnatmallife, I !hall onely mfi.l:on that Seij'wh1eh we calllif.e. And concerning which G;l. 1 '" 24 " (as in the form r) l !hall ~ . h Cautions. give t e Dire:tions. Th~ CJutions are th-fe.-- '. That our lJemg, or Ltfe is in it felf the gift of God, and the blelling cf God. It was God tluu breathed mto man the brearh ~f o'tf'!. The Spirit cfGod bt:tb made me (faith Elihu.) a'Jd the brrath ofrhe A!mtghry nazhgt7.Jcn me lzfe. H" gives it,for he is the foun– tain of it. With rhee is the f ountat// of .zfc, and in tby light}hr<!l we f ee ltght. This was the fumme of Pattls Sermon t0 the dtflmia.•Js, hegivctl; to all, life, and breath, and all· Alh , 7 , ,s, things; and to this purpofe he cites A '·atw one of their Greek Poers,in htm 1~e fivc, 1 md move, anJ have our bcmg. And as 1-t IS the g1ft, fo Jt 1> the blcffing of God: hence the promife of life, and oflong !tf is made to obed,.cnt <hddrm ; and this tumed into ._ Exo<l.lo 1 '· prayer Ly the bclccv1ng Parents, Jt IS ufually called by the name ofbi,jfing. 2. Notwith[!anding it 1s the bldling ofGo.•,yet we mull deny it for God, As in thefe Cafes.-- r. As a facrifice, If Go::! will rather be honoured by the death, then by the life, by the fufferings, then by the ferv1ces of h1s Samts,m th1s cafe we ihould be willing to fub– mit to God. Thus many of the Martyrs who had opporturtity Qf flight, yet tarried to witn.eife the truth, and gave their lives to the flames for it. Jt is not what I, or others may think, that God will be honoured.this way or that way, b~t we ihould obferve what is Gods w1ll,and wh1ch way God wdl be honoured: All our Intentions and aimes at the glory of God are nothing; G od cares not for them,if they be out of his way. It 2 Sam. J$.ZI , was an excellent rcfolutivn of Davia,If I fr"U fnd favour in the eyes ofthe Lwdbcrri/1 •>. bring me bac/z. again ; bm if he thusfay, I have no dc!tghtin thee, behold hrre I am, letbim do ttJ me as feemerh good to hr-m. . · 2. As temptation. Thus, rather then finne, the primitive Chrill:ians, when appre- ;, Machab. 7 hended, chofe willingly to dye. \IIJe have a notable ll:ory of that heroicAl!mother, and her[even fom, who rather then they would break Gods Law in eating forbidden meats, they dyed one aft~r another the mother in the mean while being content to fee them all butchered befor her eyes, and lafl: of all !he dying alfo. Surely life is nothing in comparifon of th'ofe glorious invifible rarities which finne may hinder us from; and therefore if it be on this condition that we 1my avoid finn,, that we may be fure of the maine, that by lofing !tfe we may go to Chrill:, in whom we !hall find with an infinite overplus, whatfocver we can lofe for his fake; then we mu~ deny life it [cif. I John 3· 16 l\om. s. 8 SECT. 18. Ofthe manner ofdmying our natura/lifefor 'J'efus CLrijf. THe dircClions of Se!f-denyal in refpeCl: of our rw~tra/1 being, er life, are thefe.- r. Apprehend Gods love to our fouls in his Son : he thought nothing too good for us, Godfo loved the world that hegave his one!ybegotten Sonne; and this he did for us, when Wf were enemies; Nay God hath not only given us his Son for a Saviour, but he hath given us himfelf for an husband; now as the 7lusband loves all in the family,- but gives himfclf to' his wife; fo 'Qod bell:owes his Sun to fhinc, and his rnin to.JaO on the good and bad, but he gives himfelf onc!y to his Saints. 0 let us apprehend th1s lo~e, let ~soften by fad arid folemne meditation renew the fenfe of this love to U> in Chnft, and we cannvt but give up aU we have, and all we arc to God. z. Get
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