Hall - HP BX5133 .H34 1647

8::. Hea'Vetl upon Earth. fing himfelfein one dil\1, then he can be grieved with all the worlds mif. carriage. A The nudy S<hoUtr (whofewealth lies all in his braine) cheares himfdfe againfi ini-' quity oftimes, with the conceit ofhis knowledge. Thefe llarting holes the minde cannotwant, when it is hard driven. Now, when as like to fome chafed Sifir., it fhrowds it fdfe under the harbour ofthefe lads; although they give it houfc- roome and milk for atime, yetat!alt either they enterraine it with a nailein the temples, or (being guilty to their owne impotency) fend it out of themfelves, for fafety and peace. For,if rhe Croil'elight in that which it made his refuge (as, ifthe coverous man be croffed in his riches) what earthly thing can llay him from adefperate phrenfie ~ Or, if the Croff"efall in adegree above the heightofhis llay ; as ifthe rich mon be fick,or dying (wherein, all wealth is either contemned, or remembred with anguifh) how doe all his comforts(like vermine, from an houfe on fire) run away from him, and leave him over to his ruine ! whiles the Soule, that bath placed his B refuge above, is fure that the ground of hiscomfort cannot be matched with an earthlyforrow, cannot me made variable by the change of any evenc; but is infinitt!y above allcafualties, and without all unceminties. What !bte is there, wherein this heavenly llay!hallnotaffoord me,not one!y Peace,but Joy~ Am I in Prifon ~ or in the hell of Prifons(in fome dark, low, and defolate dungeon ~ ) Loe there PIJJI}'t•.Alf!r. Algerim (that fweet Martyr) findes more li~ht then above ; and pities the dorkneffe FN&M#:It;r. of ourliberty. We have but a Sun to en ighten our world, which every cloud dimmeth,' and hideth from our eyes: but theFatheroflights (inrtfpedofwhom, all the brightllarres ofheaven are butas the fnuffe ofadimme candle) fl1ines into his pit, 2nd the prefence ofhisglorious Angels make that an heaven to him, which the world putpofed as an hell ofdifcomfort, What ,.,g, can keep out that infinite Spirit,that fits all things~ Whatd.rkneffi can be where the God ofthisSundwelleth~ c Whatforr4wwhere he comforreth~ Am I wandring in banifhment ~Can I g~ whither God is not~ what Sea candivide betwixt him and me~ thenwould I feare exile; ifl couldbe driven awayas well from God,as my Country. Nowhe is as much in all earths :His title is alike to all places; and mine in him :His Sun fhines to me; his fea oreatth beares me up: hi• prefence cheareth me, whitherfoever I goe. He cannot be faid to flit, that never changeth his Holl. Healone is athoufand comfaanions; he alone is a world of friends. That man never knew what it was to be amitiar with God, that complains ofthe wanrofhome, offriends, of companions, while God is with him. Am Icontemned oftheworld ~ Iris enough forme, that I am honoured of God: ofboth, I cannot. The world would love me more, if I were !effe friends with God. Itcannot hate me fo much as God hates ir. Wh•t care 1 to bt h•ttd•ftbem whom God h4teth? Heis unworthy of Gods f•vour, that cannotthinkit hdpindfe D enough without theworlds. How eafie is it for fucb a man, whiles the worl difgracesbim, at once tofcorne and pity it, that it cannot thinknothing more contemptible then it felfe ~ I am impoverifhed with loil'es : That was never throughly gMd, that may be loll. My riches will not leefe me, yea, though I forgoe all, to my skin, yet have I not loll any part of my wealth. For, ifhe be rich that bath fomething; how rich is he, that bath the Maker and owner ofall things~ I am weak and difeafed in body: He cannot mifcarry,thathath his Mak<r for his Phyfitian. Yet my foule (the borter part) is found ; for that cannot be weak, whofe llrength God is. How many are fick in that, and comf,laine not~ I can be content to be let blood in the arme or foot, for the curingo the head or heart. The healthof the principoll part is more joy to me, then it is trouble to be dillempered in the infcriour. Ler me know that God favours me :then I have lihtriJ in prifon,homt in baniflJment,honour in con- E tempt, in lotfes weAlth, health in infirmity,lifiin deatb;and in all thefe h•ppincffi.And (fure!y) if our perfect fruition ofGod be ourcompleat heaven ; it mull needs be ,tbll our inchoate converting with himis our heaven imperfetlly, and the entrance into the other: which (me thinks) differs from this, not in the kinde of it, but in rhedegree. For the continuation of which happy fociery (fith llrangendfe loferh acquaintance and breedeth negle6't)on our part mull be a daily renuing of heavenly fomiliarity, by feeking him up, even with the contempt ofaU inferiour dillraClion ; by . ~ki.

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