T he Life of Chrifl. 433 our mans joy : d The naturali man knoweth not any d things of Gods fpirit ; Saint Peter gives the reafon, be- caulè he is e blind e and cannot fee a farre of. Now the e Z Pet. i .p. things of God are f deep things, and high things, upward f z Cori. to. they have too much brightneffe, and downeward they have too much darkneffe for purblinde eyes to appre- bend. Secondly, It is hid in fame fort from the fa,thtiall themfelves. Tirf1, under the prevalency of their corrup- tions, and adherencie of concupifcence, as Corne under a heape of ch .ffe,or a wall under theivie, ';or metal! un- der the ruff which overgrowes it. Secondly, under the winnowings and temptations of Satan. As in lifting of Corne the braune being lighteft gets upmoft: fo when Satan disquiets the heart, that which is final, and fhould molt comfort,w ill f nke and be out of fight. Thirdly,un- der fpirituall defertions and trials ; as in an Eclipfe, when the face of the Sunne is intercepted, the Moone loofech her light : fo when God,who is our light, hideth his countenance from us, no marvell if we can difcover no good nor comfort in our (elves. Secondly, the life of glory is much more o6rcure and fecrer; for notwithstanding the firft fruites and inchoaci- ons thereof bee in this life begun in the peace of' Confci- ence,and joy in the holy Ghoft (as in an Eçhpfe of the Sunne Tome dimme glimpfes doe glance from the edges of the interpofed body) yet in regard of the plenary in- fulîon of glorious endowments, and thole prerogatives of the Heh which belong unto it at the redemption of the bo.ly,it is a hidden myferie; It is a light which it on- PCa1,97 .z To ly rowed for the righteous ; though we expel a revelati- on of it, yet now it is but as came in the ground , cove- red over with much darkneffe. 2Zówwe are Tonnes, faith Saint lohn, we have Jus.adrem, right unto our life and Crowne already ; but wee are in a faire countrey like the prodigal' abfent from the Lord ; and therefore, 71. doth !mot yet appeare what weThal be: we can no more ditlindly f un-
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