.Bl the crofs ofChrtf. your Anceftors honour. Perhaps the favour of force great men'night befiow it on themat firft without.defert ? Or it might 'be the Confequent of a little riches, though ill got. However the merit defcendeth not toyou ; and therefore its little honour that comes that way: That's your chief honour which is moll your own and leaf' borrowed from others:The deferving Sonof a beggar is more truly honourable , then the undefervingSonof a Lord. Glory rather thatyou areborn again, not of the flefh,;but-of the Spirit, not of corruptible feed, but incoruptible ; the word of God that endureth for ever. Your firfi birth, how noblefoever, makes youbut chil- drenof wrath and flaves of Satan. But your new birth is the truly honourable birth, which makes you partakers of the Divine Nature , theSons of God, theheirs of Heaven and Co-heirs with the Lord Jefus. d Pet. t .23. Sohn 3.6. & t, 12. Rom. 8..17. 8. Have you friends that love you, andareable to coun- tenance you, and are daily tender of you and helpfulto you? Blefs God for them but glorynot in man : For Curled is is he that trssfleth inmanandmaketh flefbhis arm, and with- draweth his heart from the Lord, Jer. 17. 5. Ceafefromman whofe breath is in his nofirils for wherein is he to be accounted of, Ifa. 2. 22. Yours belt friends are uncertain and quickly loll, and may turn fo unkind as to break your hearts. Or if their minds prove confiant, their lives are uncertain ; and the dearer theywere to you, with the greater grief ycu will lay them in the grave. Or if you fall your (elves into ficknefs, they will provebut filly comforts to}'ou : They can but look onyou and be forry for you ; but that will not ease your pain, norfuccotir you. Oh howmuch more caufe have you to glo- ry in fucha friend as Chrift , ''hat will lave you from fin , and wrath, and Hell ? In fuch a friend as God Almighty, that can rebuke your difeafes by a word ? Or make them tend to the cure of your fouls ? and that will flick to you when others leaveyou'. with whom you mull dwell m heaven for ever. 9. Have you the pieafantefl meats or drinks that your appetite defires ? the .eafieft lodgings -? the eafieit live, ? K k t'? 249
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=