Cbap.3. Sett.4 LotJ!dng unt41tftls. Book. IV. ----------------------- of Chril.l:ian Religion, we could not but cake pleafure in it. · 2. In every duty & gracious ad:i r1 g of it, there is the feed of 4P glory, and eternal life ; fometimes there breaks out in the very exercife ofduty a joy in the holy Ghofr, a fore taft: ofglory; but .howfoever there is the feed of glory; and though tne feed of glory be not feen, but lye as it were under ground dead, and unfeen, yet in time it will fpring up unto eternal life : why,thus look at the praCl:ife ofReligion, and it will be fweeter to us than honey, and the honey comb, it will be more precious than go!~, yea than much fine gold. But how (hould we know the difference betwixt the natural fJ.!!.eft . 2, pleafantneis, and this fpiritual pleafantneffe in Religion? I kno'w Chriftians may put a luftre upon the wayes of God by their natural pleafantneffe, and chearfulneffe oHpirit; but becaufe we fpeak ofa fpiritual joy, and comfort, and not of a natural, wherein !yes the difference? I anfwer ··- Jlnf. I. If it be a fpiritual pleafantnelfe, it will be ferious; 1have Ecclcf. ~, z, [t~idof laughter it u mad, and of mirth wh11t doth it? there is much ' lightneffe and vanity in fuch breakings out of natural pleafantneffe, but in pleafantnefs fpiritual all is grave, and fober, and exceeding ferious. 2. Ifit be a fpiritual pleafantnelfe, it can ftand with repentance,and humiliation, and the feare ofGod, rejoyce with trem- Pfal. s.sr.: bling, faith the Pfalmift; fpiritual rejoycing may confift with Pf 1 • · trembling: and &!rjfed u the man that {e11reth the Lord, that de- ~ ' 11 " 1 ' lighteth gyeatly in his coMfJ'JIIndments; the fcare ofGod may conCtft with thcfe fpiritual delights in th.~ commandments of God. ·•· 3. Ifit be fpiritual pleafantneffe, it is our {hength ; the jny of Nche. 8,10 ; the Lard is our jln 11gth , faith Nehemiah; nothing animates fouls more in duties than joy doth ; it carries on the foul m_,re fully : itis as oyle that i:aufeth the wheeles orChtiftian pra~ife co go on more freely : ·J.Je may be naturally p\eafant, and th::n coming to fpiritual duties o'Ur h~arts are dead, but ifour pleafantnetfe be fpiritual, our hearts will be ftrengthned in the wayesof God. . 4· If-it b~ a [~ : ritual pleafanti1P.tfe, it will beare up the heart in: want o~~H outward plea fa rltn~ffe; a!tho#gh"the fig-tr._u jh.Jit . .1 Mmm 1. "'~ , ·.
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