1.70 What goodwill coirzeby pssttingcasr felves for that Ile give you this Scripture, inthe r3 of the Heb. 3. v:. Remember td. em that are in bonds, as. bound. with therm., and .them. that frif er adverf ty, as being your Yves alfo in the body .Remem- ber them that are in bonds, a.+ baited with thug: Here the Apo- file writes to thofe that were at liberty, antf yet he requires of them to Remember thofe that were : n bonds, as if they were bound' with them : So that rho' fe that are in Prifon now by the enemy,, why confider as if you were in prifon with them,rhofe that have. loft all, as if you had loll all wa :h them, fo that yóu mull re- member them,otherwife it is avery flight kind of arfecîionthat you find your hearts toucht withall, it io be that you can but only fay, O how cruelly are they ufed, the Lord pity them, and have mercy upon them : I but lay this to heart, what if I were io, what if it were really my condition ? - But You will fay, Suppofe- we fhould put that _to our felver,, what good of e would. there come of this ? To that I answer, many wayes, if you would but put your felves into.their condition, , and confider what . if I were foy then confider from hence what duties you would be further put upon in this. As ñrft, If I were in their condition certainely I could, not but then be fenfiblë of the vanity ofthe creature : what a vaine thing it is to ref+ upon any outward comforts inthisworld,there was a time it may be, that not long ague they enjoyed as much' of the outward comforts of this world-as I doe,but in one night they are aript of all, and have nothing in their houfes, and are under wofullaffli&ions ; why certainely they cannot but think thus with themfelves : O the creature iS a vaine thing : It's a vaine thing to truft in any creature comfort, it may foon be taken away from me, beyond all expeétation of mine : ô f could not if I were in theirconditiòn but judge of the vanity of the creature. Let me do follow then. - And then fecondly, If I were in their condition, why my' confcience would be freely telling ofme and charging of 'me for the abufe of the mercy that I have had : Suppofe that all my comforts were taken away from me, as from them : do not T think my confciencewould prefently fly in my façe, and tell. ,me
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=