LOre isgain to him that denies himfelfe, 165 ble, bondage, which they impofe upon them , prove ri- ches, joy, honour, peace, and freedome to them; Menare much deceived in their judgements, fuppofng Chriftian fuff_rings miferable and contumelious ; the wife, fubjed, 1 fouldicr, fervant repute it an honour to fuffer for their Hus- band, Soveraigne, Generali, Lord and Matter, and doubt- leffe he that denyes himfeffe, cannot but account it as an honour to fuller for his fpirituall Husband, King, Captainc, Lord and Saviour : He that denyes himfelfe will chuíè with David to be a ° door.keeper in the hossfà of god, rather a P61:84.10. thin dwell in the tents ofwickedneffe ; to live inany low,poor, contemptible, and defhifed condition, enjoying communion with Chrill , rather then partake of all worldly fulncff without Chrift. The Lord Jefus is a humble fouls fulncffe, whether it bath much or little of the world ;a little with Chrift is honourable, and full of contentation, the greateft abundance without Chrtít is fhamefull, and attended with much di(trae`rion ; therefore the Apoftle faith of hinifelfe, and filch as he was, men denying themfelves and enjoying Chrift that they were as 9 unknoWn,andyet Well knoWn, aJ pLCor 6,5,1o, dying and behold rce live, as cha.tened and not killed, as for- roWfull yet alyvay reioycing, as Poore yet making many- rich, as having nothing andyet poffeging all things. God is wonder- full in honouring,proteatng ,delivering,rejoycing,and fads- lying the foules of the humble, in 'fan6ttfytng and fwcet- ning their low,. poore, and fad condition :The Lord makes them fee filch glory fpringing cut of their ignominy, and fuch light ihiniàg out of their darkneffe, that they .9 reioyce q AQ.5.41, they are accounted Worthy, that they are vouchfafed this ho- nour to fufer for Chriffs name ; they rejoyce in rfilling up r. Col. i 24. that »hi * is behind of the afflillions of Chrift , Offering for ( hrift, being thereby made conformable to Chrift,and ha- ving thereby communion with Chrift, and Chrift taking their futterings as his fi ffcrings ; Chrift fuífring in them, and they for him, they arc very joyful' in fuffring ; the more a man denyes himfelfe,the more he rejoyceth in the croffe of Chrift, in Chrift crucified, for his fake, and in his ownc fa :firings for Chrils fake. 9.Afans
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=