Hieron - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.H54 S4 1624

The Chr f fans Iot4rnall. z5 bold to fay ft; becaufeall dutiesof holineffe baneone general! nature, that there is nor one among them all , whether itrefpeftour immediateferuice to God,or ot,rbehauiour tomen, or that fobriety and turn framing ofour affe&ions fit things which concerne our felues; I fay there isnot any one fuch duty, butif it be looked upon with an eye ofIleth, is lookeseuen as ourSauiour did vpon earth,of whom it is faid , that in refpeâ of(tote and pompe , there war nbthing in himfor which a manfhoalddefirebins,. And thereafon is this. Religion is the fame :0.43.2. to amans foule, that Phyficke is to his body , it is ordained to purgeand to re. forme it : As therefore thePhyfick potion atthe firft taking i cirant againfi the ilomacke, fo that men in wifedome willore means to keepeit in , that it may workevpon thedifeale; fo is religion at the firft tale without refill: , ready to saute loathing, rather then ro perfwade further entrance; and there mutt bee a mimic of firmingwith a mans felfe, before he can drinkedeepelyofit , and hold it fait, that it may worke vpon hisdole and hiddencorruption. It was not for nothing that the Lord conditioneth with vs at our firft entrance into religion, to gluehimour heart"; for vnleffe we haue men reigned vpour affitions unto ,tproa; s6. hin, and haueeues combined with our felues, togoe through withit, it is in vainetomake any thew or offer to obedience. Well, you feeplainely the firft point, that thebeginning ofgood duties is harih; lee mennot flay here, but pro- ceede to (hew that the end is comfortable. Our Sauiour faithhere; itleadeth onto ldfe: and what life Bothhe meane, or canhe mean, but lifeeternall? godliaeffe (faith the Apoille)ir-profitable unte all things,whichhaththepromife bothof thin lafe, andofthat which is to come.. I may lately fay of chofe which enter into good x r.Tim,q;q, courfes,as the PCalmedoth, theydoefewin :cares, but theyThad reaps inlay, :Owen: weepingandcarriedprecioni feed with them, but they returns with soy, and bring their posher. Nay the Scripture doth not herein delay vsfolong , as though there ypfakrz6:p, were nofweemeife in religion till hereafter. I remember Chrills words in one 6, particular to Peter, whenPeter told him, that he and his fellowes for Chriftsfake had leftall ; Ifay ontoyou,there isno man barb lift heule, or parents, or brethren, or Wife,orchildren,for the kingdome ofGods fake,wbich_pall set reeeieemuch margin this world's. So that euen in the prefént life , therein a reward fellowes, the zLele 3. r9, children of God fiade an inward and an vnknownc fwectenelfe, cues in that ao. which at the fir(} teemed very d flaflfull. Chrifi fardeofhimfelfe , that it was meare estohim todoe the willof himthat feat bim't and fo theduties ofgodlines aIohy, ;q. doeaffoard a kind offccret fatisfa&ionto tholewhich are exercifed in them : and though mill men when they look« vpon the feruants ofGod lining in obedi- ence , in contempt of theworld, and in a kindefequeltring theirlelues From the vaine delights thereof, doe imaginethey line a lifevery tediousandirkefome, and inch asbath nocontentment in it; yetby vie, the Lord making hisyoke ca- fie, and his burden light,they finds that facilitiein it, that fweetneffe and fpiritu- all delight , that if theymight, they wouldnot turnebaeke totheir wonted li- berty in thehell), butto carry euen a kinde ofloathingthereunto. 1fittde (faith Dateid) more leyof heart inthe light ofthy countenance, inthe ferret apprehenfrouof thy gracious fauour,then the worldlingshaue,*bentheir whemed- wine aboiond b. bPlata. y. Thus by the handlingoftheir twopoints apart, Ihaue(Ihope) madegood my firft propofition, that the way of true religion, though it be ftraitandnarrow, & at the firft entertainesa man withfhewesofhardthip andreftraint, yetthepro. grelle is more fweete,and theend it felfe, dotheuenexceede in comfort. Let vs make vfeofit. The vfe hereofis is tobe anencouragement to all thatdoebegin inwardly,and Zrfi, vnfainedly to affect goodthings, they muff learnt to call their rtes and thoughts from the prelim ftraitneffe which religionat the firft entrance intoit , .feemeth tothreaten, and tolooke further vponthe fweetnes whichdoth certainly accom- pany it. For howfoeuer our obedienceought notto bean hired obedience , but C 3 fuck

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