Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

548 Book IV. Looking UrJto 1-ef~s. Chap. 1 .Secb Jam .s 5· Job. tl.l 3. 2. It r~proves. It is the firH: paffage ofChrifl: when he begins his fuffermgs,to go over the brook Cedron, and it is the A, B C of Chrifhanity (as 'Bradford [aid) to learne the leffon of takingup the croffe, and following Chriil:. Surely this world is no place and tbis Lfe it is no time for pleafure; God hath not call man ou~ ofParadife, that he fhou\d finde another Paradife on this fide heaven . Oh why do we feek the living among the dead? why . do we feek for living comforts, where we mull expet!: to dye dayly? it is only heaven that is above all winds, and O:ormes, and tern pefls, and feas, and brooks, and waves; Oh why do we look for joyes in a vaile of.teares? It was an heavy charge that the ApofHe { ames laid upon fome, that they lived in ple.tfure upon umh, ~·d. earta is not the place for pleafure; earth is the place of forrow, of trouble, ofmourning , of affliction, Remember thtlt thou in thy life time receivedft thy good things, and La~arus evil I hings, but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. All the pleaiiJre that wicked men have, it is upon earth, but the condition of the godly is cleane contrary; Oh 'tis fad to out-live our happineffe, and when we ihould come to live indeed, then to want. our comforts and our joyes. Verily I f".Y unt9you, they havi r h:ir reward, f;~id Cbrifl: of hypocrites; their heaven is paft; they §pend 1 hfir d~tyes in wealtb or in mirth ( faith} ob) of the wicked, a;:d in a moment go dowiJ to the gra·ve ; alas thetr beft dayes are then pail: and they muft never be merry any more. Ah fond fooles of Ad;ms feed, to lofe heaven for a little earthly contentment! how fhould this fowreyour carnal joyes, when you remember, all this is only ~tpon eilrth, it c11nnot be f or ever? there muft be a change of all thefe things, here you laugh, and hereafter you mull boule! no fooner death comes, but then you'lecry, far ewe! world, Oh into what a gulfe am I now falling? 3· It i~ftruCts. Ah my brethren! lets remember, weare pilgrims and ftrangers upon earth, and our wayes !yes over the brook and valley of Cedron; we can not expeCt: to enter with Chrifr into glory, but we muft firft drink. of the brook. in the way; ( i.) we mufl: endure many afflictions, variety of afflictions.- you wi ll fay thu is an hard faring, who can heare it? I remember when J efus told his difciples ofhis fuffrrings to be accomplifhed at 'lerufalem, Peter takes the boldneffe to dchort his Mafl:er, be ir far from tb:c L£rd, thu foall not be Hnto thee; but Jefus there· upo.a

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