¶3 Preparations for fairer!ng, what you build upon, and let it not be enough that the we rd hatha little affected your hearts, and you have gone. away wir " joy : you know the ffony ground did i4, but when troubles d.!,, arife, by and by they were offended, the Scripture faith Therfore when you hear the word, and are a little affecîed, do no t think, that the work is done prefently, O but labour to get the foundation to be laid deep,rhe main foundation it is for thee to unjerffand aright the way of the Covenant of grace, be throughly inform'd in it,& likewife let your hearts be throughly humbled before God,that fo thi ough the work of humiliation,, there may be a foftning of the heart for the feed to soak in, and fo to take roote : That man or woman that ever bath been made fenfible of the dreadful breach that fin bath made between God and their fouls, will not much regard perfecutions. I remem- ber Luther fpeakes of himfelf divers times, that though.he was á man. that was threatüed with perfecutions as.Much as any nun, yet he was fo acquainted with trouble of fpirit, & humiliatiou for fin, yet he was not afraid of all. the Bulls of the Pope ; We read of Pvrl thatfaith that all muff fuffer perfecutions, and it was told him affoon as he was converted what be muff fuffer, for Chrifis fake, but how did the Lord prepare the heart of Paul He knew that as he was to be a chofen veffell to beate the name of Chrilf,fo he muff fuffer hard things ;. how did God. humble him, he firikes him down off bis horfe, makes him cry out, Lord, Lord, what milt than have me to doe ? I, this man was fitted to fuller any thing for Chrift afterwards : So thole that ever knew what fin meant they will nor think much of fufferina The reafon why fufferings are fo. heavy to us, it is becaufe fin is fo light untous : Labour therefore at firff to be deeply rooted and, grounded upon Jefus Chriff,and fenfible of the evill of fin; And learn that great leffon, that prepares, in 16 Mattb: 24. Then faid je(ur,if any man will be my Difcrple,let him deny.him- fe , and take up hie crefe, and follow me. That nun or woman that path learned the lelfon of felf-denyall, will learne to take up the crofle : Denying our felf-excellency, our felt- effeeme, our felf-will, and our Pelf- lofts, there are a great many felfes in one macs fell; I fay, there's felf-excellency,and felt-efieeme, and
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