Reynolds - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.R485 T47 1642

T he Vexation of the Spirit. -verve their evils hearts, how to pieafe God their Father, and Chrifi their Husband, how to fecure their intercfl in their ext cded inheritance, how to thrive in grace, to be rich in good workcs, to purchafe to themfelves a farther degree ofglory , howto entaile their fpirituall riches to their pofleritie in a pious education of their children, thefe are their employments the things of this life are not matters of their IHome, but- onely comfortablerefrefh- ments in the way , which therefore they ufe not as their grand occafions to create bufineffcs to them, but onely as interims and neceffariel refpites. So that hereby their oc- cafions being few and narrow, thofe things which they -here enjoy arc unto thofe occafions largely fnceablc, and by confcquent very fatisfa lory unto their defire% But worldly men are here at home, they have their portion in this life hereupon their defires are vafl, and their oeca- fions fpringing out of thofe defires, infinite. A man in the right way, findes at lafl an end to his journey, but he that is out of the way, wanders infinitely without any fucceffe. Refl is that which the deli res and wings of the foule doe frill carry men upon. Now the faithful' being alwayes in the way, doe with comfort go on; though . it be peradventure deepe and hcavie; becaufe they arc Pure it will bring them home at lafl ; but wicked men in a fai- rer way are never fatisficd, becaufe they have not before them that:tell which 'their Soule defires. For inordinate lufgs are ever infinite,. What made the Heathen burne in lull one towards another, bittbecaufe the,way -of Nature isfinitc,but the way of Smne infinite ? What made Ne- ro, that wicked Emperour, have an officer about him who was called Arbiter Neronian e libiclinis, the Inven- ter and Contriver of new wages of uncleanelfe, but be- caufe lullisinfinite ?What made Meffalina that prodi- gie of women, whom,, I-perfume, Saint Paul had a par ticular.relationto, Rom, i .a . `Prof here adincognitas. li- Aiiaei as the Hiaorian fpeakes, proflitute -her felfe with greedineffe 79 Solitianan ny- go titt.-

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=