3-64 :A·s~int or A lrult: Part Ir.· and lhalllive in cverbifiing re!-l:, where affiid:ion lball be known no more. Is it poffible for that man that h11th the love of God and !hall have heaven for ever, whaveany fufferings char ihoald weigh down thefe, and be matter £O h·im of gr~ater fqrrow rhen this~! joy ?· Can you imagine ffia.t there i~ more evil in yoar in– firmtttes and fuffenngs, then there ts good m God, and happinefs in Heaven ? Is it reafon and equity that you 1hould look at fir; only, and not at grace ?· and at what you "'I'Jant only , and not at what you have received ? Scei~g you have more caufe of joy then for row, fhould younot d1ilnbute your affections proper.. · tionably as there is caufe? I diifwade you nor fromfea(onahle m 1 .. der~ueforro~s . : But fhould notyo.Hr jol bemuchgrc.zter, as long as. the ca1:1fe of it is much greater? · 4· And here r· would intreate you to confider well of the t~nour of G.()d.S·CO'I'fJmli.nds co~Jcerning thu matter in·the G()tpel, and– of the examples of the SAints there left on record: And then tell. me, ~hich &Qurfe it is that G9d iJ beft pleoefed -with. Your chet~~r[!11 or your dejeUtdcourfe of life : I find that though I pitty the fad andmiferttble , yet I had rather my felf have achearful, thC'n· a dr()opin.g ,grieving, tr.oN~!ed companion ~nd friend :. B.ecaufe .I defire one fuitable to my fclf in the fiate I 'Wouldbe in ; and I de– light in the welfare, and not in the difirefs and mifery of my friend . And furely God that is-Love it felf, and bath created Joy ip man to be his Happinefs, and bath placed fo much of mifery in [9rrow, can nevf'I' be fo delighted in our diftrefs :and tr8ublt, as in our C9ntent and joy. As he bath fworn thar he takes no pleafure· in the deathof the Wi.tks~, bnnather tha t: theyrepent and live; fo we may boldly conclude that he takes no plea{ure in the aHguifo :and dejeClednefs .of his children,but rather that they walk in Love and chearful Obedience before him. But his Word will full y and plainly tell you, what temp~ er it is that is mofl: pleafing to him. It i~ a light 11.ndeAfie bnrden that Chrifl: doth call us to bear ; and it is bis office to e~~fe 1111 andgive m re ft that liebotJr and are het~~. V) la– dell wich ·burdens of our own. MAt. 11. 28, 29. .Hewanmointed t~ pre11ch th.e Go[pel, or glad tidings of {alvation to the poor; and feilt toheal the brtJk:Jn-hearted ; tfJ prePlch deliverance to the cap-· tives, andrecover~ng Bf fi'zht .te theblind, anJ to[et.at liberty them . that are bruifed, ttnd to prell'h the llccrpt~tble ye~tr·-of the Lord., L~tk._e· 4.. 1:8, .I 9 · WheH he was to·leavc the world, how c)irefally did .he provi,de for ~he t0mfort.of his ~ifciplcs ~ ~ornrnanding them ., ·- · · ... . · - ·-- · · · · - · not
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