3ro Part -tr; hut few tha:t fuffer Martyrdom, or anygreat matter for the caufe of Chrifi, efpecialfy in OMr dayes : And rhofe few have ufua!Iy more joy then f?rrow. If you k~ew t·hejllyuof M.trtyr 1 , you would never fo ihnnk at: the fuf!ermgs ,of M~rtyr1. And for a few mocks and fcorns of fooli1h men, it is fcarcely worch cb-e nameof afuffering: Nor is it: fo m1:1ch as wicked men fuffer in .their fin. As Godlinefs is a lhame among the foofifh wicked men. fo wickednefs 'is a flume among all t-h<u are pious,wife r;tnd fober: And why fhould not the 1ham~ of fin be more loathed then the: tmdef<!rved flume of honefl:y ? Alas, all this is nothing to the: forrows of the ungodly. A litde of the ~inegar of affliction will make ns relifh our profperity the better, and through ,oar frail tie is become a necef~try fauce to that lufciOtasJl:ace that we are fo apt to furfet on ! Do you not fee what lamtntable work profperity, victories, honour, and worldly wealch and power have made in the world ? and ihall we grudge at that necelfary mederate affliction that faveth us from the like overthrows? 0 how few are able t:o withfl:and the temptations of great or long profperity ! Experience of the frequent, wofal falls of profper– .ing men, that feemed once as firm as any,bath made me fear when . I hear .of the e.x:tltation of my friends, and the lefs to grieve for their ad vedicy or my own. Holinefs therefore is the mofi pleafanc way notwithfianding the afflictions that do attend it : And if Godwill give me an incre4e of HfJ/inefs , (of Faith, and Love, and a Heavenly mind) though it be with an increafeof my Af- . fliClions, I hope l ~all take it as ~n incere~fe of ~y · p/eajHre, and · give him the pn'llfe of fo merctfui a dtfpenfatiOn. And thus I have proved to ~·o1:1 from the Nature of Holi-mji, that it is the .rnofi Pleafant way. .I.I. J Shouldnext fhew you the Delights of H~linefs, from tbe Helps andConcomitants ~hac pro~ote our plea{ure. But becaufe [am afraid of, lengchef!mgmy dtfcour~e too much,,l-1hall only namea few things .of many. . . , I . God beingOftr God in c~venant, his ·Love is to ~he holy foul as the Sun t:s to our bodies, to illuminate, warm, reVtve, ~nd com'fort them . and did not fin cawfe fome ecdipfes, or raife fome cloud!, or thuc the wind-ows, we lhoald rejoyce continually, and · , · - , ·-· - -·· · · - - find / .·
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