Natural Lie to be denied. 193 foolith reafon to recall this refolution. The word of God will ftand, when they have talkt against it never fo long : we may defttoy our felves by dafhing againft it, but we cannot cleftroy or frustrate it. 2 And whereas men ask, what cam the firongeft do more then diefor Chrifi ? I anfwer, Abundance more : They can die for himwith far greater Love, andZeal, and Readinefs, and Joy, then the weak can do : and fo bring much morehonour to him by their death. Though there be no higher way ofoutward exprefling our Love toChrift, then by dying for him ; yet the inward work of Love may be in very different degrees in perfons that ufe the fame expreffion ofit. Some may come to the flakewith a little Love compa ratively, and fome with fervent hot affedions : Some have much ado to yield to die ; and fome die fo -cheerfully, that they rejoyce in the opportunity of honouring God, and paf- fing to him. Yea and in the Expreffions there is much, diffe- rence in the manner : fome give up themfelves with fo much readinefsas works more on the slanders by then their meer patience or the death it felf. And fome are drawn fo hardly to it, as drowneth much of the honour and fruit of their mar- tyrdom. Of this read Mr. PiNkt Serm. on. Luke 14.26. Obje t. But Nature is of God: and nature teacheth us to Love andlave our lives : andu it like that the God ofNature will Com mandand teach us to call, them away, andfo contradta his own Law of Nature ? Anfw. 1. As Nature teacheth' you to love your lives,fo God doth not forbid you. But 2. Is it not Natu- ral to man to be Reafonable, as well as tobe fenfitive and ani- mate? Tohave a reafonable foul, as to have a temporal life ? 3. Anddothnot Reafon tell us by the light of Nature, that God fhouldbe loved better then our Lives ? If it did not,ye t by the help offupernatural light, even Reafon clearly tell us this. And it is no contradi&ion for God to bid you, [Love your lives, but Love him better.] And he that bins you Peek the prefervation ofyour lives, doth plainly except, that you refign them to his difpofe, and that you Peek not to fave them from hitn,When he commandeth you to lay them clown.So that it is not fin against Nature, to content to die ; bnt when it is for him that is i4C loigd and End of life, it is agreeable to _ Cc
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=