Preached Auguft 17. 1662. 17 3. There are examples of many rare and excellent men, the belt that ever lived under Heaven: Take (my Brethren) the Prophets for an example, &c. Jam. 5. 1o. 4. They are propounded to us, not for their words ()Tidy, and for their profeflion, but for their deeds, for their bitter fufferings; and theyabundantly manifeft tous,- that there is nothing impoffible in our duty, or any thing fo difficult but may be overcome through Chrifts ftrength enabling its : They all had the fame naturewe have : they were of the likepaflion with us, fiefh and blood as we are, of the fame relations and concernments 5 and then on the other fide, we have the fame Caufe with them, the fame recom- pence of reward to encourage us, the fame God and Saviour to re- compence us ; he fuffered for us as well as for then ; therefore we fhottld follow in their Reps, and hold fall our confidence to the end ; for they have (hewed us, that poverty, reproaches, death it felf, and all thole things that would look harth, and with a gaftly afpe& upon the eyes of the World, are no filch Eziils, but that a Believer may rejoyce in them, and triumph over them. I fay, they have (hewed the blandifhments of the World have not (such a charm, but they may be renounced without any lots of confidera- ble joy and contentment;and that the duties of Chriftianity are not fo hard, but that a little waiting upon God will bring in grace enough to perform them ; therefore faith the ApoftleSeeing we have a Cloud ofWitneres,let us lay afide, &c. And fo I come to the en- couragement, to the Second thing, and that is the duty here prelfed. i Here is the privitive. 2.Thepofitive part of our duty : Here is mortification and vivification ; Mortification, Let us lay afide, &c. Vivification, Let us run with patience, &c. In both the branches he alludes to terms proper to Races : In a Race you know men firip themfelves oftheir clothes, and whatever is burdenfome and heavy, that they may be the more light of foot; and fo the Apoftle bids us lay afide 'every weight ; and they did withal diet themfelves, that they might have no clog fromwithin, i Cor. 9.25. Every man that .firiveth for the malery, is temperate in all things, i. e. They took, care that they did not clog and difpore themfelves for the race they were to run ; but they verily run onely for a corruptible Crown ; we for a Crown that is incorruptible and glorious, to according to this double praecice of Racers, we are to cart afide every weight from without, Vic. So here's a double obje&, laying afide every weight, and of fin : There'sonus extermon, the weight without, that preffes us down and hinders our (peed ; and then there's impediment-um D_ internum
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