oftrue cónúerfioiz. 2.53 the very ioy, and reioying ofour heart *, we exercirirgour (-cluestherein, and Ira- zOwe,:a ming our heartsthereto; it is a matter ofimpofsibilitiefor vs to be faued. Strap. oert(faith Saint Paul) from the lifeofGod through ignorance .:art thou aftranger aEph,4, S. (o the word ? thouart a t}rangerto God, heauencannot bethy portion , ex- cept thou Jaime the Lawe of God as thy heritage: neuerlookefor thefulncffe ofioy, exceptthou labour for the firft fruits oftheSpirit ; If thou doenot learn truly toknow God heere, thou (haltneuer fee his comfortable countenance in his kingdome. Thus much ltohught good toobferuehence, that by theking- dome ofhcauen, are tetar themeanes offaluation r jfwc enter not jato thegate of heauen by the key ofknowledge in this world. we (hallbe tuerlaftinglyban(- filed from heauen into theworld tocome. The kingdome ofheauen, there meanes of faluation, are called. Treafnre The2. doe. whataTrea(ure is , you doe all well know. That the meanes of faluation, which giue vsan entrance into the kingdome Ofheaven , are a treafure, weecan- not doubt, vnlcff wee will cal /she teft imonyofGods Spirit in thisplace into quelion : why it is a trefore, thtl one realon may fuffice, becanfe thewordof God and the knowledge of faluation containedtherein, bringvs vntoChrift lerus, in whom are hidall the treafteretofwifdome and knowltdgeb, and in whom bCo1.a;;, it bath pleafed theLord, that all fakeßefhouldAril!c. If it be a treafureto en- c Cohs.s , ioyChrilt, then freelythat thingdefèruetls tobe called a Treafure, that bringeth vnro Chrilt. How excellentatrealureit is, will Cooneappeare,ifwefballalittle conpare it with thofe earthly treafures, for which the menof theworld doeen.' gage their owns foules , and eues fell away themfelues. Fitt, anearthly trea- frtre,though it beofneuerfo great price, though it may make a titan richer, yet better in anyene refpe& it cannot make him ; well itmay make him warm, and draw him fartherfromGod, but it is notable to bring himone haires breadth peen( sato heaven : Affoone as hedothbut entertaina defire toget it, forth- with (as Saint Paulfaith) hecfallethintctentation andfnares, into manyfëolifband noyfometußes,whicbdoe drolknemen in perditionanddeflruftiond: when hebath it, dr,Tim.6g, without extraotdinary and fpcciall heede taken, it fteales away hisheart and when beehaares of anygoodmatter, it chokes ° it vp, itmakes himproutl, diG eMaor;. at- dainefüll, vainely to prefume that bee is highly inGods favour, andfo to be- comecarelcffeof the chiefeftgood :Co that it was tritely laidof Chrilt, that it is a very hard matterfor a richmon to entermt, the kingdomeofGod f, Thus t fay an (Luke tIL"; earthly treafure, howbeit it may better a mans outward efface, yetitcanaddeno goodcohis foule, nay it may make lais foule a great dealepoorer Oren it was,and make the way toheauenharder thenbefore.But now this treafureof trueknow- ledge and ofgrace, which is begotten invsby the preachingofthèGofpelt, is ofanother nature. For whereasthe Ioule ofmanby sarnrc inofallother things the ¡Merl, and molt polluted and loathfome in the right ofGod, this beautifi- eth the foule, this puiifieth and cleanfeth the heart, this inlighteneth theminde, this purgeth theconfcience, this renueth thefpirit, and in themanthathath this treafure, is that moli heauenly promife verified and madegood, land my Father (faith Chrilt) Willlenehim , andwee Will come unto him , andwee Will dwell with him g. Againe,whereas ofourfclues we wereOrangers from God,and glvh.tq.23. were withAdambani(hed outof his prefence,and flint outof Paradife,this trea- fure, as wee thriue inbutting it; fo, itallo brings vs lull secret andsecretmro God, curry day fitting vs unto that vnfeparable and eternal] vnioo with the Lord, in which wee (hall fee him face to face, andknowehim as bee is, and raigne with him in his glory. This is one excellency ofthis treafureaboueall earthly Iewels ; they doe no good to the foule, but poifonit rather, anddrawa man further from God; this garnilheth thefoule,and brings itentry day secret vntoGod. A fecond excellency which wee (hall finde by comparifon , in thistrig.. Z ; lure
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