138 Difeourfeoftruehappineffl, Ezcch. r; z:. Y. the heart ofthe righteous ; and Make 'them fad, whom the Lord bathnot made fad ; and thebrufed reed is quite bro- ken, andthe fmokingflaxe utterly put out. Now thinkes the ChildofGod withhimfeïfe, out ofhis fpirituall wifedome, Iffiich an one as thefe fhouid be chofen by my default and faint-heartedneffe; I íleould in fome fort and meafure be juftly guilty, and anfwerable before that high and everlafting Judge,ofthemany miferies and mifchiefes,which ordinarily enfue upon fo unhappy a choice. Heereupon (after a ma- ture and impartiall íùrvay of all círcumftances confidera- ble in the party, theftatute and whole bufineffe) he tingles out himwithfìncerity and fìnglenefle of heart, whom in confcience hee thinkes molt fufücient ; and there he ftickes with a truly Chriflian and uníhaken refolution, pitcht by the very power and ftrength of heaven: and come what come will, tempefts, or Lure weather; preferment, or po- verty ; threatnings, or flattery ; pollicy, or perfwafion ; pri- vateimportunities, or írowningsofGreatneffe; hee is at a point, infinitely rather to keepe a good confcience and fave his foule, then to enjoy the prefent, and gaine the whole world. For he well knowes that theday is at hand,eyen that greatand fearefullmay, when the confcioufnefleof one gra- cious adion,performedwithuprightneffeofheart,will breed more comfort, then theglory, riches, and foveraignty ofthe whole earth. - To conclude this point : As uregenerate and fanftified thoughts differ much in their workings even about the fame Qbjeas : fo thereare fome, which are-Gods childs peculiar, withwhich theRate of' unregeneratioaS utterly unacquain- ted. They are fuch as thefe : Firft, thoughts full of Bare and aftoniíhment, all hell and horrour, which rife out of the heart, when it is firft itricken with fenfe of Gods wrath at the fight of his finnes, Theft, are fcorched, in very many, even with the flames ofhell in their converfion : They burne foinetimes the very marrow out of their bones, and turne the belt moyfture in them into the droujht of Su: amer, No a print
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