r By the Crofs of Chri . 163 thankfully accept his call , and clofe with him as your portion , and be content with him alone, and letthem take the world that can get no better. You fee that adverfity will make even a worldling fpeak hardly of the world, as men will do of their friends when they fall out with them. How touch more fhould it help the gracious foul to a fuller fenfe of its vanity andno- thinguefs, and of the neceíïity and excellency of Morecertain things. Its a great fin and folly in us , that we Drive more to have afflir1ions removed then fanc`tified , and fo we lofe the gain that we might have got. Though affli&ion alone will do little good, yet grace doth make fuch nfe of afidion, that thoufands in heaven will have caufe to biefs God for them, that before they wereafiaed, went affray, and were deceived by the flatteries of the worldas ,well as others. Abundance that have beenconvin- ced of the vanity of the world have lingered long before they would forfake it, till afüi&icon bath rowfed their fleepy fouls,and by a lowder voicehath called them away. Dirrîi. 9. 1111E very fiafpiciou -s of a prefperous flate and be moreafraidof the t'orldwhen it [Miles, then Whin it frowns, Some are muchperpieaed for fear left they fhould not Rand in adverfity that too little fear being et-Snared by profpe- rity. They are afraid what they fhould do in a time of tryal,and do not confider, that profperity is the great tryal: Adverfity Both but fh°w that love of the world, which was in mens hearts in time of profperity. Whçn men forfake Chrif§ for fear of fuf fering, and hecaufe they will not forfake the world, theydo but Phew theeffeéis of that difeafe, which the: had catcht long be- fore. When the world pleafed them they fell fodeep in love with it,that now they will venture their fouls to keep it. It is profpe- rity that breeds the difeafe , though adverfity Jew it. Lovenot the world, and you will eafily part with it, and fowill eafily fuf- fer for Chrifl : And profperity is liker to tice your Love to it , then adverfity. This is a great realen why worldly Profperity and true Holinefsdo fo feldom go together : and fo few of the great ones of the world are faved. O how hard is.it to have the world at will , and not to he enfnared by it andover-love it How hard is it heartily and pra:lically to contemn a profperous Y a con.: .
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