Reafons to dtftrade ysfrom theloue ofthe world. 267 afpiring from one degree to another,til at lift weattaine vn- to that degree ofperf'eetionand fanthfication, that wee can loue and reioycc inGod,more then in the world,and gricue morefor his difpleafitre,then for any earthlylofl'e, and that both in quantitic and degree,and inour owne fenfe and fee- ling. For otherwifç ifthefc affeóüons which we thinke fan.. tIfied,and in truth, doe iandat a flay, andwe be contented with that weakc andimperfeéi meafure,hauing not fomuch asa deuceorindeauor,that theygo forwardand increafc;it is a manifefi figne that there is neither truth nor fan&ification in them;but that theyare fade and counterfeit; feeingal true grace iseither in thegrowth, or at leafi,defireth and labou- reth in the means,whercby it maygrow tomore perfection. CHAP. VIII. That the bell thing: in the world.are busmeerevanities, in conzparifwt of (idsfpirituallgraces,and beaueny excellencies. Nd thus haue Ilet down the fignes ofworld- 4.Se11.t lyloue,whercby this dangerousdifeafe mayTbattbeben .''`' bedifcouered andknowne; accordingvOto are toCmath which if wee examine our fclues, I doubt tainted with nt4.7 ; 1W4 not, but many who through their fecuritie thelo " " "frbe thought themfelucsfound,and in good cafe, Mall find that world. they are defperatelyfickeof thisdileafe cucn to thedeath, vnle4fe they prouide fpeedilywholefomemedicines for their recouerie; yea and thole whoarc in the befi efiate, ifwith- out fenfe-loue, flatterie and partialitie,theytrie their efiate according to there rules, they (hall plainely difcerne, that howfoeuer Chril bath called and culled them out of the world, yet theyhaue left lomepart oftheir heartand affrcRi- onsbehind them and that howfoeucrthrough Godsmer-, cie they are pulled(as it werc)by firong hand,out ofthis fpi- ritttall Sodome; yet they are ready euery hand-while with Lsir wife to lookebacke,as being loth to.leauetheir world- lyprofits and preferments;andto beweaned from the plea. lutes
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=