I 8 2 I Happine, f% ofpartakng of Chrifi. ?fa.i46. 3.4. vitrea eft, qu- unr (pende t f angitwo Happinefe of c axing Chrü1 !lui'traced ii+ five things. IA wife guide z. A faithfull friend. Prov..i 8a z. Pro.17.9. .. nances, as a teacher inftru&ing them ; in his love, as a father regenemFng and embracing them ; in his care, as a Shep- lrzard watching over them ; in the operation of his grace, as a Phyfician healing them,. as a Gardiner pruning, dref- fing, watering them.- Here is mans bleffednefre to have God in his love, mercy and faxing graces. And againe, Put not your truft in Princes, nor in the Son of man, in wbom is no belpe; his breath goetb forth, he returneth to his earth, in that very day WI tbouábtsperiff,. Happy is tbe man that bath the God of Jacos for htr God, whole hope is in the Lord bis God : Wherein the PCalmifl fhewes the vanity of all external! excellencies, and the fr1ly of them that truft in them, that magnifie themfelves in the pretence of them, being things .perithing, and fuddenly changing. For as Himus faid of Fortune, Ii it elayie, when it Pines it breaks ; fo is the greateft worlTy fulneffe but a glafle, when it alines it breaks, when it flóurifheth, then it withers: On the other fide,the Pfalmift lets forth the fingular felicity of them that have the God of Jacob for their God, who by knowledge,.choyce, faith, love, obedience and delight, have him for their God, their guide, their rock, their crowne, their portion : they are happy, they are- blefied, they are in a molt honourable and fweet condition. Great is the happineffe of man in having Chrift: as David laid of Goliahs fword, There is none to that. He that bath Chrift, hath firft, a wuíe, uide, able to dire& him, as the fiery Pillar guided Ifrael, and the Star the Wife men. Chriil hath all the treafures of wifdome- he that bath molt of Chrift is the wifeft man in the world ; he that hath the Sunne, hath more light then he that hath all other lights, and wants the Sonne. Secondly, he that hath Chrift, hath a faititfull friend, a lure friend, a fweet friend, an able, an everlafling friend. Afriena (faith Solomon) .is neerer then a brother : Such a friend is Chriil, when father and mother forfake us, Chrift taketh Oyntment and perfume rejoyee the heart, io doth the fweetneffe of 4 mans friend by hearty councell, faith the Wife, man : Such a friend is Chrift, his inftru &ion ,. his prefence, his love, are better then Oyntment and perfume, filling the foule with all joy in
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