570 Some Heads from what hath ben faid 4 world, but comes out of the mouth of Chrif}, and by what wee, faid the la +. day, we made it good : Then by way of life. Hence we fee the excellency of a Chritlians flare, look up- on him 411 his wort} condition he is bleffed, yea and the worfr- condirion that he can be put into makes him bleffed, furely his of }ate is excellent, he gets by his fufferings !The Philofophers £tone is commended for turning all things to Gold, why grace in a Chriflian hash the venue to turn all their lotfes, all their fufferings, and the durt and drotìè that's call upon them, to turn it intoblefíednelle, and,therefore excellent, furely then Godly people are not fools that are willing to fuffer fo much in the caufe of God, they know what they do, for they know how it furthers their bleffednefs. Secondly, It's a vaine thing for the men of the world to think to take off the Saints from any way ofChrifl by perfecu- tion . It may be you are ingaged againfl fervants, friends, kin- dred, neighbours, wife, or others, and you think with your felves you will make them do otherwife then they do: -- --- Why what will you doe ? you will make them to fuffer loffe in fuch and fuch things that they might have,you will put them . to hard ufage, and you think that will do it,. there's a great mil}ake in chat, perfecution rather raifes the fpirits of the Saints then any way takes them off from God, it improves their graces, it heightens their graces, they are above you in your perfecution ; I remember one told c2'(odefies that was the Emperors Officer, whenhe had to deal:with Bazil, Let him, . alone, for Bazil is aboveyou, faid he ; Thofe men that are car- nal and wicked, they think with themfelves it would difcou- rage us in any way of Religion, if we fhould fuffer by it, and . therefore they think that they can difcourage others by ma- king t hem fuffer by it : ` It's true, If others went up- on no better principles then thou doll, they would be difcou- raged by perfecution, but becaufe thou art confcious to thy felfe of the bate principles thou goef} upon, and knowell that
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=