-~ibe Rare Jnrel of Chrijlian C~:>ntentment; 8 I .have as much of GOd ,as I had before ; if I may be led to God in my low condition , as much as I was in my pmfperous condition, I b.ave as much Comfort and Contentment as I had before. Obieff. Bot you will fay, Its true, If I cotJ!d hQnor GoJ in my Low ef/4te aum1cb as in my_ priJ{peroru efJate, tkm it wtu fomewhat; hut 6ow can that be ? _ Anfw. Youmull know, the fpecial honour that God bath , from his Creatures in this ~vorld, it is, The manifeHation of the Graces of. his Spirit~ It's true 1 God bath a great deal of honor when aman i~ in a publick place , and fo he is able to do a gre.a"t deal of good , To coancenanc~ Godliners , and dircoumenance Sin ; but the main thing i~, in [hewing forth the verttm qf him thlft h~th ctr/l(d us out of dllrkru/s into his marveLLous Light. Now if I can fay, That thtough God's Mercy in my affliCtion I find the Graces ofGods Spirit working as fhongly in me af.ever they did whel'l I ha(j my ~fiate, I am where I wa~; yea,I am fully in as good a condition, for:I have that good· now th,at I bad in my profperous eHate, for I accounted the good of it, ~ut in my enjoyment of God, and honouring of God, tnd n9w God bath blefi the want of it to fiir up the Grace! of his- Spirit in my Soul , and this is the work that now_ G9d callS me to ; and I mufi account God is-mofi honoured vvjfen I do the work that h_e cals me to; He fets me a ~or.k in m1 ptofperous-efl:ate at that time, to honour him tn this coOifuion : and-now he fets me awork at tbi~ tim~, to honour him in thig condition : Now God is moll honoured , when I can turn from one condition: to another, according as he calls me to it :· Would you account yam: felves to be honoured by your fervants, w.hen you fet them about a work that bath fome excellencie ,. and they will ga on , - and on , and you cannot get them off from it ? N:>IV let the work be never fo good , yet if you 'will call them off to another ' work, you do expeCt that they iliould manifefr fo mach refpeCl: _ t~you, as to be content to come off from that , thoug!1 they be '(et about a meane111'V0rk , if it be more futable to your ends•., So, yoo were in a1profperous e{late, and there God c.rtled you to_fome fer vice that ....you tGok fome pleafure in ; · but fuppofe God faitb , I will ufe you in a fuffering condition , and I will have you to honour me in that way ; now here's the h@nouring N ef
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=