Ver. i 6. the 17th Cháptet of St. J 0 H N.. 225 vie. This (hould be regarded by us In there Times i when fume grafp the World;.. and ufe all kind of Means to get it into their Hands, others are apt to envy at them ; when they fee others have all, and themfelves poor, Men think themfelves wronged. 1. Let them alone, look after better things. Hal. 17. r4. From Men of the World,: rho have their Portion in this Life, and whole Belly thou fillefl with thy good Things. If they grow fat upon common Mercies, we have no reafon to pine and murmur ; Yòu have not filch large Mates, coiHy Furniture; fine Cloaths, but you have a better Heart, it is enough. Let the World's Fondlings be dandled on the World's Knees ; You have a better Portion, full Breafts to fuck on, purer Confolations. When a Rif ver is troubled, the Mud will come on top. In Troublts, Sin would be uppermoft; You have no reafon to change Conditions. 2. Remember by whofe Providence it falleth out ; You think God is not wife enough, you will teach him whom to advance, and whom not. Princes have their Arcana Imperii. Shall our Servants know all our Counfels? Many times God raifeth bad Men to high Places; not becaufe they deferve it, but becaufe the Age deferveth no better. Phil. 2. 14, 15. Do all things without murmuring and difputings, that ye may be blamelefi and harmlefs, the Sosta of God. 3. If you are favoured by God, why fhould you tröúble your, felves about the World's Refpeds? In chuffing Heirs to Salvation, God doth not ask their Counfel thou haft the teftimony of God's Spirit ; and many now in i-Iell have had much of the World's Refpeds. Their Difrcfped cannot hurt thee ; it may profit thee, If thou art not wanting to thy felt. If God fhould take Counfel of the World, whether he fhould aflame thee to Glory, or calf thee into Hell, then their Refpeds were to be fought after : but God will deal with thee alone, not ask their Opinion, but refer it to thine own Confcience. if all the World fhould refpéd thee, what is this to God, who will judg thee by another Rule ? They had need of fteady Heads, that walk on high Places. When Men Rudy to prelerve the World's good Opinion, they lofe it God is Mailer of their Refpeds 3 if Men did not ftudy to pleafe the World, they would' not-only have more quiet, but more fuccefs. 2. Obferve again, .../fn excellent means to digeff the World's NegleF7, as to confider to Example of Çbr J1. It is our Duty, it will be for our Comfort, and it turneth to our Profit. t. It is our Duty. In his Example we have a tafte of his Spirit ; I am not of the World, faith Chrift; and we fhould imitate Chrifi as dear Children, Ephef. 5..1. They that love to live in delight and pleafures,' are but Chriftians in Name. If we had no other Reafon to contemn the vanity of the World, than the Life of Chrift, this were enough. Who was wifeft, Chrift, or you ? Who can make the better choice, Chrift or you ? Who is in an Error, Chrift or you ? Chrift chofe a poor Life, and you al.; fed Greatnefs. 2 Jr will be your Comfort. It is a fweet comfort in all Conditions, to remember the fimilitude of condition between Chrifiand us ; Shall the Difciple be above the Lord r? What more honourable, than to carry the Crof after Jefus Chrift? Chrift hath worn this Garment ; Col. 1. 24. Who now rejoice in my Su erings for you, and fill tip that which is behind of the Afliliions of Chr in my Flefh. thrift was expofed to the envy of Satan and his Agents : Art thou better that, Chrift ? He fuffereth with us, becaufe we fhould fuffer with him, Mat. 25. 45. Verily I fay ?into you, in os much as ye did it not to one of the leafs of theft, ye did it not to me. Acts 9. 4. Saul, Saul, why perfecutefl thou me? Man and Wife, if they love one another, had rather live together in the meaneft Eftate, than in the greateft Glory and Abundance afunder. Chrift and aChri- ffian are fellow-Sufferers; we are conformed to his Sufferings, and he bath a feeling of ours. 3. It will be for our Profit.. The Iflue will be glorious, we muff firft fuffer, then enter into Glory. Winter is before the Spring : Rom. 8. 17. If f be that we fuffer 'with him, that we may be alfò glorified together. 2 Cor. 4. to. Always bearing about in my Body the dying of the Lord Jefas, that the Life alpof Jefas might be made manìfefl in our mortal Flefh. 2 Tim.á.I 1,12. It is a faithful raying, for if we he dead with him, we pall alfo live with him. If we Pifer, we pall alto rgn with him. If we would be likeChrift in Glory, we mull be like hint in fuffering. Ffff 7le,
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