I Part 11.· ~ St~int ,,. AJruu; '147 and make it an Argument for your Infidelity. ' B~t flay a little till the Afiizes t:ome. It follows not that there ts no Govern:' ment or Jufiice, becaufe the Thief or Murderer i~ not han~ed before che Affizes, or as foon as he bath dene the fact. Eternity is long enough for their punifhment. If God then be the Gover~ ·nour of the world as mort cerrainly he is, then is there a Reward and Punifument hereafter ; andGods Daywill come, when ManJ is pa£1:. · ~r. 14. My next Q!tei.l:ion is, whether y~u - thin~ that God foouldlJe Loved, and Obeyed, or not? If not, then certainly nrme fhould be Loved or ObeyecA. For none deferves it, if he deferve i~ not, from whom weart, and_bavc all our benefits. But if he be, then I further ~eflion you. Whether it be lik.,ely ~r poffible, thtr<J any mttn, or at lettft all tht !1eft people in the world, fooutd be lofers by God, and their Love and obedience to him ! Ancl whether it be Credible, that Goodncfs · and Obedience to the Lord, lhould be the conftant certain way to mens undoing, lofs or -4llifery ~ I think yoe will fay, if you believe that rhere a God, that this cannot be. For certainly, he that fets us a work, will own us in it, and fave us harmlefs. An honeft man will take it for a difgrace to him, that his fervice fhould be the fhame and mifery of his fervants, and be fitould make them no fatisfatl:ion. It God be not Able to bear us ou~, be is not God. And his Wifdom and Goodnefs affure bls that llewill do it. So that there is no Poffibility that Goodncfs 1hould be mans lofs, and any lhould finally be lofers by God. On this affurance I am en£ouraged to lay out _all my time and labour, and dare boldly venture all that I have, in the work of God : For I am fure I cannotlofe by him. · But be thou judge thy felf whether his fervice wonld not make us lofers, if there were no life but this (though I confefs the lofs would be fmall and lhort:) Who are fo bated, arid perfecut:ed as they that ferve God be£1:? How many thoufands of them have been fain to give up their bodies to Tormentors, and their lives to the devouring flames? The very work of God confifl:eth in fldh difplea~ng things : To El~ny our felves and contemn this world,and hve foberly, and righteou11y and godly in the world, and to be for this the fcorn of men, is the lot of the obedient. · If you fay, Tbu id not the LBt of any bHI thofe that are everu ~ righteoUS 11
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