Baxter - BT767 B28 1662

.. .. l.fl. < ~· ( '5•9) · t110t yot~r food and raiment, or forgot the houfes you dwell in, it badbeena fmall matter in compa.rifon : but tG forger that one worlz chat muft be done, that one frie-nd that you mufi a.lwayes trufi to, that one [lace that you mufi live in for ever, this is moll unreafonable ; and when you have reco.vered your underfiand~ ings, you fhall.confef5 it to be fo. ' 3. confider ftJrtber, that this one thi11g iJ that go~d p11rt: Yon fee it is here cal!ed fo. [ Mary bath chofen that good przrt ] rOrher things fee mgood to /en[e , and to perverted reafon tQat ~s blinded by fenfe ; but this is it that feemetb .~ood ro reafon illumt– mtted by the fpirit of Faith. Other things feemgood for a while, bur this is that good that will ftill be good. I may not only fay, that rhe Goodof other things is f mall in comparifon of this, but th~t it is nothing at all, but as it i$ rel~tted . unto this. This is that good that makes all things elfe good that are good. As they come from God ,, and reveal God tous, and lead us up to God, and are means to this eternal life, fo they aregood; but orherwife there is no goodnefs in them. And cherefor~, feeing that GooanefJ is naturally the objed: ol mans will, one would think you fuould quickly be refolved of your choice. Senfual good, is bm a nomin~l toad, if it reach not ·higher. All that you htJnt after fo ea~erly in the world, is ne>thing ·but real vanity and vexarion , a fhadow of good, a picture of ·profit, a dream of delight, which one frown of God will turn into afl:oniiliing horro11·r and defpair. Like a tender fl.owre -that -is nipt with one fro1ly night , or withered with one fcorching -day ; but it is only thi!! one thing, that is the folid, fubfiantial, and enduring good. The pleafure of the fl.dh is agood that is corn~ rn~[_l to meHwith brutes ; The1 can eat, and drmk, and play, and fansfie their lafts, and mafl:er one another as well as you. But it is the Jftirit ual good tha.t is proper to a reafonable creature. The pleafure of the fldh may melt you i-nto foolifh mirth, and make , yo~ like drunken men, that are gallant fellows in their own eyes, while fober menare afhamed of them, or pitty them,or rhey be– c~e ~ laughing-fkck to other8. 1'3ut it is thu One th1:ng only whtch ts th.1t G~od which wi[dom it !elf will juftifi~. Aman tbat ts thkjcdmay laugh more then he that is po!fe{fed of a Kingdom , ~r ~ a th tlwQCfires of l1is h~art · hut he is no t therefore to be ac- - -- .. - . ' - - l z - · counted

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