0-3-20r. 12. .74 than ordinary difeulty in the way of coming at it, notwithftanding whereof they are not deterred nor de- tained from purfuing after it the confideration of its 'excellency' with the expe&atiop of the great incomes of advantage and profit by it; ;makes them the more eafily comport with the difficulty of it, and to think all their labour well beftowed in overcoming 'that difficulty : So we may truly fay of the ferious exercife of godlinefs, that it is fo tranfcendently excellent (as being that which beautifully conforms the rational creature to the image of God, and capacitates the fame to enjoy fellowship with him, wherein its true glory and excellency incontrover- tibly confift) and fo very profitable, even profitable to all things (as nothing elfe in the world is) having the promife of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, that the greateft difficulties should not fright us from, not faint us in, the vigorous, confiant and clofe purfuit of it : We shall not deny, but that this piece of godlinefs in i particular, that lies n the confcientioufly tender orde- ring and difpofal of all our a&ions, in order to winning at the joyful teftimony of our Confcience concerning therm by felf- examination, bath much difficulty in it, as being contrary to the natural levity, wavering and infiability of our hearts, and mightily oppofed by Satan, as greatly prejudicial to his intereft in the foul ; yet it is fo very ex.- cellent, and fo exceeding ufeful and profitable to the Chriftian (as we made appear from Our laft difcourfe on thefe words) that all the difficulty of it may be the more eafily digefted : It hath (as the other duties of religion have, when rightly gone about) its reward in the bofom thereof : O what Tweet peace,;, what thong confolation, and what unfpeakable joy bath the apoftie here from the teftimony of his Confcience, after dif`covering his aacions to be fo ordered, by this ferious felt -refle&ion` and exa- mination ! whereof fpecial notice would be taken. We (hall therefore now proceed to obferve fome things more particularly from the text to this purpofe. Rift then, Obferve, That, when Confcience is well plea - fed with a manes way, it will give a teftimony for him or; when Confcience hath put a man's way to proof, it will
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=