e7k[editations. ion whenwe haueloft it. By this rulewe may feehow our hearts ftand affe&ed in any thing we goabout, or in any time wherein wehue. As forexample, in fecking riches , honour, promotion, orglórie, we aremoil comforted when we haue great hope to obrainethem, if we be molt cheerefull when wehaue gotten them ; if wee bemolt afraid leaft wee look them, and ifwee could be contented to forgoe any tiling, rather than them , verilyour hearts are molt fetopon riches, vponglorie,opon honour, dignitie, andpromotion. A- gaine,if we be moft defirousof ourfaluation ; if weecanmoltheartily reioyce,whenwee Defre offat- baue gotten allúranceof it; ifwee be fore afraid of all thole things whichmight put vs in rwúon. danger of looting it, if nogreater griefecanbefall vs,then whenwe feelenot the comfort of it, a moil certaine argument wemay herebygather,thatour hearts dobland very right- ly affe&ed to ourfaluation : contrariwife, haue we no defireto feekeafter it hauewe but final( loue of the meaner wherebywemay attainevoto it ? then furelywe aremore carnali thenfpirituall, yea, we arealtogether earthiy,we feekenot the things that are aboue. The like may befcerre in allother things:art thouglad andcheerefull when thou receiueft fome profit, and heauie hearted Whenthou ffiouidelh bethankefull? art thou forie when thou receme,t any Infle,and without allforrow when thou haft finned ? art thou angrie when thouart wronged,and not atoll difpleafed when thou haft done open iniurie to the high God? Where is thy heart ? where is thyvprightnelfe? it is gone, wickednes bath bewit- ched thee, and thyowne corruption bath made thee carcicI1i. In heaping vp thy riches, thou faift thou art notcouetous,becaufe thou giucft toBurry onehis owne,and takeft no- thingbut thatthe law willgiue thee. But all thisthou maiff do, and yet be couetous: if then thouwouldefi know thyheart, thoumaieft hereby trie it. If thou be euer muting how thou mayeft getthy goods: if it cheerevp thyheart whenthou doeftencreafe them, tiren thou ai-t couetous,though thou fee it not , thy mmdc is on dry money , though thou percciue it not. Let vs fee in this one particular point:thou haltmuchcornetofeli,dearth xor*todi ¡o- ofcornwould becommodious voto thee, and-yet hurtfullunto thypoore brother , and ter acot emus to the whole land: now if thou wouldell with dearthfor thy owneprofits fake , though it head. would bea hinderance tothe wholeChurch ; if thou reioyce more in thine owne game, then thou canft be forrowfull for thy brothersbarmy if thygaine-do make thee through pride,to aduance thy felfe aboue thy brother, then doubtlelle, thy heart is fore infe&ed with corrupted couetoufneffe. Contrariwife, rf itbe drupe, and thou unitbemòreglad forthe profit of many, then thou artgrieued for thy owne Joffe, or if it bedeare, yet thon canftwith from thine heart, thatit werecheape:then thoumayft fáfely fay, that coüetonf- nellèpreuailetlr not againftthee, it rulethnot inthyheart, yea by this thoumailtfee, that thine heart is rightly uffe&ed, both to God and tothy brethren. To conclude this poynt,wouldeft thouknow inwhat trueth of heart thoudoeft labour for thegloryof dry God ? Come hither, examine thy heart with all reuerenceby thisrule, and thou (halt knowit. Time glorie of Godefpeciahiy íhinetlm in the profperomrs-and flora-ire fo- rifhingcftateofhis Church,andhisglory is thentrampled vnderfoote, whenhis Church isopprefed. Thou freltthe:Caurch inour landhall great quietnefe: this. thoureioyccft threfChrtice h,of a at,yea thoucanft heartily pray for tryPrince,thatpeacemay becontinued in thisChurch. /'niali ante cf This is well,andmore then many do : but this is not enough,tiyheart in tlüs nraÿdeeeiue Gods children. thee, becaufethou mayeft bemouedxò doe this for thineowne eafe, without any-careof ta(.r _o. Godsglorie : exainine thy felfe thereforea littlefurther, and call unto thyconfideration theChurches beyondthe Seas: thoudoft hearetiattlrey be in continual) trouble, theybe perfecuted, and on euery fideîaüadedt Their Priesare (lainwith thefrvord, their Princes arepiteou(y abufed, their peopleare ledde ive, captiaitie : fi that thereare nothing batconsplai- aingsin theirfh-eets. Here mayeftthou trie thy felfe, ifthere be any truerh m thee.--Forif fobe thoube fo full of thine owneprofperitie, thatlòrrow cannot enterinto thy foule, for our ionand f thy poore and afii&ed brethrensfake t nay, if thoucanft not bemore forrowfullintheir foarrv. furrow,then thou canft reioyce.in thine. owne ioy,thou haftcaufe tofeare,thy heart is not frncere toward the gloryof God. In likemanner,thon thy felfeart inrniferie, tolled with af:lielions,and troubled oncurry. fide: yetthouheareft that re(t isgiuen to the Churches, thoulreareft,that God hath blared them with theblefling of peace. Oh nowifthou cool- deft
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=