C 474 TheBridegroome. . Thiswas Marie, ioy,reioycing inpirie,that fheeknewGod in Chrift wasbecome :Luke r.46. her Sauiour . This is that ioy,whichiscalled Ioyinthe holyGheff °,peace inbeleg- e Bom.14t7. wig e.Petertermeth itglerietuandvtleakabkq, and Chri(ì faith,it isfuch asNona pi3ri5t3 can tabsawayr. 7.111, 6. This ferueth very effeetually to (hew, thattheyare none of the Bridegroomes Fr,.a' friends , which in thefeeuidéaces of hisptefence findCo little fweetneffc. Men teioyce in their wealth,intheir gettings,in their health,in theirbeauty,in their honour,in their belly-cheare,in their pay appareil, in thepleafures of fene , in the fatisfying of their wretched lufts, inthe oucrfhrow andfall of theirene- mies. Such things as theft giue ákind of contentment vnto many : but how fcsrfc are they, which vnfainedly reioyce in the libertyof theGolpell, in the freedomeof truereligion, in the greatmereyand goodneffe of Godvouchfa- fingtoreuealevntovs theknowledgeof himfelfe inChrift lefus? Whole (pi- fLuke r,44. tits areinliued,whofe heartleapeth,like the Babe in the wombsofElixabetbr,fer ioy'ofthis ineftimable blelfing? Chrift isa continuall finer tovs, by the Mini- ftryof hisword, he doth'in it make loue toour foules,he wooeth vs, he befee. chethandentreatethvstoentertainehim; heofferethvntovs many tokens of heauenlykindneffe, many Lich graces to which all the jewelsin the eartharc notworthy tobe compared. But(alas)how bethefe thingsregarded? who ge- netally)doth not take morepleafure in an idle tale, or in a fcurriIons kit , then in thereparticular? Well, wee fee here, Chrift accountshis pretence inhis Church,whether inbodyor in fpirir,whether vifibly,orby meanes,to beas the pretenceofaBridegroome to hisbeltbeloued. Ifwe feele our felues tofind no comfort in thofe things which are reported to be fofull ofcomfort; it isa figne we are noneof thechildresof the Wedding, butofthofe rather, which (hall be (hut out,and difmiffed with that heauy voyce,whenyet they (hall begand defireto t Maoaf. n. corn;in, Depart fromme I degnot (knowyear. The6.Deti. The next Do/trine hence to be obferued is, Thatitds thewifdomeasddsetyef Sods Children its thedayes oftheir reioycatg,andthe,, whea they basemoll comfort by the Bridegroomsprefeneeyet to thiakevponandto makeprorefortfor achange.Our Sauiout herefaith, that albeit he nowvfeth his Ditciplesfomewhat tenderly, there be- ing(as it were) the dales ofhisfirft acquaintance, yet theymuff not thinke to hue Co alwaies,but know rather, that there be times ofmoreflraightneffe, and ofgreater fadneffe tobe looked for, Sothat it is plaine,that it is the wildome ofGods children,in thedales oftheirgreatest ioyto be in continuall expeettati. onofa timeofmourning: AstheBrtdegreeme it with them, fo they mutt remem- ber that theBridegrooms may be takenfrom them,For this eaule Chriftoften told aloha16.; 3. his difciplesofhaaingaff i lion in theworld, of weepingand lamenting , whiexthe xlohntó.ao,worldwac jocundu, ofdrissk!ssgofhie cupY. of being hatedofall men. The poore 7.-"4,a'434. Iewes were inperplexity, while the Kingand Hamanfate d.inkig ix thepallacea. ZMa4'9' We mull refolue to affe throughman (formes, before weaeeainethe Endof oñft.;, t5, p i tPeor,9, our Faith, the jaluatienaf oarfeoletb. It is worth the noting, how God in all ages, hathept a kindofcontsaualt entercourfe in his Church, betwixtpeace and perfecution, betwixtquietneffe and trouble, It bathneitherbeenalwaies vnderthecroffe,nor alwaies flourilhing inan ontwasdfetlednes :Sometimes in Kingdomesand flares, the Gofpell hath been freely preached, the Sacraments ordinarily adminftred,publike affemblies vfually frequented,without danger: Sometimes againe it had; been intermitted, nay it hathbin bani(hed andperle. cuted,& it bath bin as much asa manslifebath bin worth,to beknown co pro feffe it. And as is the Elateof the Church ingenerall,foit is ofChritìians in par. titular. Sometimes theyhence theBridegroomsvoyee fecretlyandfweetly (pea- kingpeace to their Conies by his fpitit,& this canted:much comfort;fometimes they be much perplexed withdoubtings and fad paffrons, and thisoccalionetft a great dealeof forrow : Sometimes they bane thevoice of ióyanddeligeranee áe their
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