Part n. '.4 S~tJnllr A Brfite, '213 pture, whither men~ Sou!J go after~de~rh, ~ndhow tn:i r 'Bodies flull be raifed agam, and how Chrdl: Wtll come to judge the world,. and who £hall then be juflitied , and who !hall be con- .demned : and what fl1all be the cafe of the g9dly and theungi}J.l] to ali eternity. And is it not moreple~tfant to know thefe things ,. then to poffefs all thevain delights of the earth ?. Can the jlefo afford y~m any thing fo delightful? ' . 3. Efpecially , it is~ defireable and Plea(ant to Know thof~ things tha."t moft ccncern m : Needlefs fpeculations and (Uriofities we can fpare : There is a Knowledge that brings more pain then pleafure; Yea there i!s a Knowledge that will torment. But' to know onr ontn affairs, our greateft and mofl necejfary affairs; to know our threatened mifery to prevent it, and to Jmow our offer– ed Happinefs to r;btain it ; to know our Portion, our Honour, our God, what can be more Pleafant.to the mindof man ! Other mens matters we can pafs by : But to Know fuch things ~oncerning oer o'Wn [011/s, as what we mufl: he and do for ev·er, and what courfe we mufi take to be evcrla£l:ingly happy , mufi meeds be a feafl: to the mind of a wife man. Ask but a foul that is·hatmted with rempt~tions to unbelif, whether any thing would be more wekome to him, .then the clear and fatisfying apprehe:n.fions of a livel,y faith ? Ask one 'that lyeth in tears or groans, through the feel ing ·of their fin, and the fears of the wrath of God, and doubtingsof hislove, whethcrthe fatisfyingKnowledge Qf par– don , and reconciliatiOR '· and divine acce·ptance ., would not be more pleafant to them , then any of your merriments can be to you ? Ask that poor foul that bath lo£1: the apprehenfion of his Evidences of grace , and walks in darknefs, and bath no lig;ht, that feeks, and cryes, and perceives nohearing, whether the dif– coveryofhis Evidences, the afft~rance that his Prayers areaccept– ed, and the light of Gods countenance fhining on him, would not be Better to him then any Recrea~ion , or any' Pleafure the earth affortls. Ask any man at the hOtuof death, that is not a block, Wheth~rnow the KnoWledge 0f his falv~tdon wmdd not be Better and more Pleajant to him, then all the lufl:, or fport, or honours of' the world. 4· The Knowledge of th~ Btft and JoyfPJlleft mattters, mull: be the Befl andPleafanteft Knowledge . And nothing can be ]Jetter thenGodan~Glory. Nothing £an be/weeter thetl j11lv~ti6n ;· and, therefore: thts muHbe the fweettft Knowledge, . I had rather have ··· -· -- ~ N n · ~ -·-~- th~
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