By theCroft. of Chrit. Doubtlefs if he didnot fee that it is vanity , and that you have madea wrong choice, and do miftake your mark,he wouldnever troubleyou in a worldly courfe, nór call you off. But it is be caufe he feethyour folly and deceit, and wifbeth you much bet- ter. Wo toyou that everyou were born, if you have no better Happinefs then the world can afford you. Is it not Neceffary then that you difcern your errour and be brought into your right way , and fpend not your time and pains for nothing ? If God í`hould let you alone to catch at this fhadow, and playyour (elves with worldly toyes, till the time of grace were paft ; and then let you fee that you were befooled, when it is too late ; you would then be left to a fruitlefs repentance , and to the fenfe of that unhappinefs which you chofe to your felves. 2. 4,nd that the world is an enemy to your Happinefs, may appear two waies. Firft in that it deceitfully pretendeth to be yourHapp'nels, when it is not ; and fo would turn away your hearts from that which is. Secondly, in that by allurements or difcouragements , it is alwaies hindring you in the way to life p and is a fnare to you continually in all that you do. And is it not Neceffary to your falvation that you be delivered from the ene- mies of your falvation ? and freed from fuch perilous fnares ? Can you conquer, while you are conquered ? And if the world be not Crucified to you it doth conquer you : For its vc9ory is upon your will and affe&ions. And if it conquer you , it will condemn you. To be fervants to the world is to be fer.vants to fin. And the fervants of fin are free from righteoufneff, Rem. 6. 2o. and free from (brift, and free from falvation. Amiferabie freedom 1 3. ThefollowingPropofitions I (ball fpcak of together. That God only is our happinefs and Chief Good, 1 need not prove to any that indeed believeth him to be God. That falvation con- fifeth in the fruition of this Happinefs is paft doubt. And as fore is it that God is not fullyenjoyed in this world ; much lefs in the creature, when it is loved for it (elf , and nor el-leaned as a Means to him. All that believe a life after this, do lure believe that there is our felicity. And billy, that the foul doth enjoy its own felicity, byKnowing, and Loving, and Delighting in its object , is alto paft doubt. So that you may fee that a worldly ftate of mind,isinit felf incontinent, with a irate of falvation. To K 65
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=