L Difeeurfeoftrue happine(fe. his bountifulneffe, and patience and long fufferance, Ieading them to repentance , they have heapt up as a treafure unto themfelves again(' the dayofwrath, and of the declaration ofthe juft judgement ofGod. You have heard the reafons ofthehahpinefle of the wic- ked in this life:but it is not fo withGods children. For they mull mourne in chis vale of teares while the world rejoy- ceth. And as the wicked are fild and fattedwith worldly happineffe and plenty, again(' the day ofwrath fo Gods children mull beprepared and fitted withaffli6ions, for the glory which íhali be revealed. They are Ihortly tobecome Inhabitants of that great and glorious Citie, whofe founda- tions are precious flones,whofè gates are Margarites, whole fireets are pure gold, as the finning glaffe; they mull bee companions of the bleffed Angels, and hand in the prefence of that great and facred Majefie; and therefore in this life they mull be call into the Lords furnace, that in the fire of afic`lion they may be more and more purified from earthli- ne fie and corruption ; and fo withholineffe and humilitie prepared for thathigh perfeElion of heavenly beauty, glory and bilk. Let every godly man then with comfort and be- nefit undergoe thofe crofles which the Lord layeth upon him : for theyareuntohim as looking glaffes,whereinGod fees his faith and dependance upon his providence; the worldhis patience andcon('ancy ; himfelfe the fpots of his foule, his decaies of grace, the breaches of his confcience his uegle6ofthe dutiesofhis calling, his coldneffe in reli- gious fervices, his fall from his fie l love : So that by"then, God is pleated and g'orified, others edified and initruc`led, himfelfe humbled, recovered by repentance, and more fan- ¿ified. I have tilaied long upon the third realon of the formali hypocrites falle perfwafion ofbeing in !late of grace. The reafon isbecaufe civili honefie, performance of outward duties of Religion, and worldly profperitie meeting toge- therin an unregenerate man many times breedsa very thong conceit ofhis being the child of God ; and an obilinate im- patienc 57
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