Bates - HP BX5200 B3 1700

Chap. IX; Of HEAVEN .. domcome that .ii, forthemanifeftationof his Eternal Glo ry in the nextWorld, that we mayreig~ with him. The Means in order to this End are ofrwoforrs. SomeconduCl: ro it by rhemfelves, thofe are the good thmgs d efircd m the th1rd and fourth PetitiOns ·; and fame lead to it by accident, and thofe are th e freedom from Evils exprefs'd in the !aft i;:{:~?~~fs ;Tah:i~~y !~~nfu~~~r~~ i~i~~~r~~~~~rfal~rb~i~~~~~~~od~s 0~N1~ ~~~~;/,~§ in the third Petition, Let thy Will be done on. Earth, as it is m Hu.ven : o.r they are fuch as by way of fubferviency promote our Happmefs, a nd thofe we pray for m the fourth Petition, Give us this day our dai!J Bre~td. And 'us obfer':'at>le there 1s but one Pennon for Temporal Blellings, and 'tis the !aft in the order of thofe that concern good things. And that fingle Petition is fo retlrained, that 'tis eviden t by its Tenour, that earthly things are nor abfolutely good to be defired for themfelves, but relativel y and fubordinarel y to our eternal Good. Daily Bread we muft ask of our heavenly Father, the nece!Tary fupporr of the prefent Life, without which we cannot ex ercife our irtternal or external Powers· and Faculties io his Service; but not Delicacies and Abundance fur the luxurious Appecite. The difference of Conditions in the prefent World is very great: as in Pharao!J's Dream, fome Ears of Corn were fo full and weighty, that they bended with their weight; others fo thin and blafted, that they were as ~tubble for the Fire. Thus fome abound in all Felicities pofliblein this Life, other s are chaflened ever} Morning under various and continual AffiiCl:ions. Now this infallible Principle being planted in the Heart, rhar all prefem things are robe improved with refpeE l: to our future Happinefs, will moderate the AflcEl:ions in Profperity, fo to ufe the World that we may enJOY God, and make us not only patient, but piea fed in Adverfitics, as the y are prepararory forHeaven. The Original of all tiJC Sins and Mifery of Me~, is their perveJ{e abufe of things, by F~u;~fi'm '" turning the Means mto the End , fettmg their Afte8IOOS of Love, Defire, and Joy upon ~.J!CUJU~ rei ~~~~~~~1ta~~~~g:~ ~hf~~~i~tF~~h~~ ~~~:!"n;~u;-:;irb~ iFu~oFc~~i~~ar~e "~'i?o~~ ~~~eare~i~~aJ i~~~;~~~re~E ~ ticldy in a Foreign Country, that could not poffibly recover Hea lth but in his Native Air, rc~n. quod !n ~n .his return thithe~. invit~d by the pleafantnefs of the way, fhm.1.ld take u.p his rcfi dence ~~~u~ ~~~~r~~ JOit, and never arnve to hts ownCountry. Among th e Weft lnatam fame are* reporccd mas obtincn- ~~~~~~7~~~j~ti~~n~~g~a:~ft ~~ ~~;£~~ c~~~~~Po~a~~ilii:~a~ 1l:fldwai~ ~~ri~:,v~a~~~fn~1~; ~~~n~~r~~~i . would transfufe a fluggifhnefs in them. The Chriftian Life is by the Apoftle compar'd • .<<0}1,. to a Race, and earthly things by an infeparable property of Natu re load and deprefs the Soul, that it cannot with vigour run the R•ce fit bifore it. The Believer therefore who im~ndsfor the high price ofhis Calling, and is t rue to his End, will be temperate in 4Uthing 1 , ~f1eiyh~~~~~~~:~~~ i~e f~ibf~~f~~~, r~~r~he~r~~~~~ ~};;~;e:V:l~~ 1i;"~;·:a,~ ~;~,g7~ ~'~~ JYo~!d, to do f.OOd, to be rich in good J!Vork~, restd-! to dijl~ibute, wiUing to communicate, lay~ :;teu:e!n:~eL{{:, r;e.;{~~~~; g:o1d9~oundttflonagamjl theume to come, that t.hry mayitt] ho/J. And the hxed aim at Heaven, as .our Felicity, will reconcile an affiiEl:ed fiate to us. When temporal Evils are effeEl:ual means to pro nloteoureverlafting Happinefs ; the amiablenefs and excellency of the End changes th eir Nature, and makes thofe Calamities that in themfelves are intolerable, to become lig ht and eafy. The Poor, the Mourners the Perfecttted are blejJed now, becaufe theirs is the /(jngdom of Heaven. The A poft!e' tho under variety of fharp Troubles, yet expre !Tes his fenfe With that miticration as bu~ lightlytouch'd. with them : ., {orrowful, but . a/way~ rejOJcing. From henc~ he :ells us, that with unfamtmg Courage he profecuted hiS glonous End. For our ltgbt A/flrfiions r!Jat f:~fe~.{;0~nd;;:;'fi~:;e~:r~vfrf:U:k:J:nde~fta~d~;~nfi;;~g:;/{n~t~~fe~ 1~~ [~~:~ ~~c~~~d~ ~i:h ~te~~~~~~~~~~~m~nsT;;s,,:i~:~~n~~~~:~ds {~~e~~Yva~~~.ro;'l/;i~c~~f dry up Rivers of unprofitable T ears that flow f rom the Affii[led, and make tl1e Crofs of Chrift a light burden. For their heavieft Affi ietions are not only confiftent w ith his Love, but the Effefis of it are influential upon their Happinefs, We are no\v tofs'd upon the alternate.Waves of Time, but 'tistha r we m•y arrive at tire Port, the ble!Ted Bofomof our Savwur, and enJOY a peaceful Cal m ; arid (o wt fba/1 /te tvef rvltli the Lord. Words of infinite fweetnefs! This is the So'ng of our Profperity, and rhe Charm of our !~X;l~!Wo;;.~l might the Apofile add immediately ali~r, Thmfore <omfort one another 'l vv z 4; Thi

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=