Cxne.3.¢ 632 Trie thv pre font happines by this touch acne, I 1 Before the Lord put forth his loue in his Chrif},it could not be reached of manor an- gel. v1Cor.smentierie zfron the our kinsfolks not knowingvs,our friends forfaking vs,our enemies kil- ling vs, dangers foaffayling vs, as we can fcarfe be fate in any corner : nay, fometimes our owne holds are taken, that we cannot feare more warre abroad, then we finde at home, nor meet with leffe peace without then within. But now would it be an high wifedome to efpieand know our bleffedneffe, which with this change wee firmely hold whatfoeuer our outward condition be or can be. If nowwe fuffer for righteoufnes it withaandeth not, but maketh to ourhappineffe : If all men fpeake all . manner ofeuill again( vs for Chrias fake, it hindereth not but turthe- reth our faluation Ifearth refute vs,heauen approoueth vs;ifmen con- demne, Godwill ivaifie : ifour friends denie vs,Chnia our husbandwil confeffe vs : In anymiferiewe (hall haueaffured felicitie, in forrow and heauineffe matter oftrue ioy,in outward trouble inward peace,in temp- tation affurance of eua(on:Innothing all things, in deathandcorrupti- on, life and immortalitie. Thus our happineffe mull not be miflaken, which isinward, fpirituali, and heauenly; not depending on man, but God, by whole allured wordand pledges it is bellowed, nouri(hed,and perfe&ed invs. Now if any would trie whether he bath this happineffe in his hands orno, let him cometo this touchflone. r. Cana thou finde in thy foule a godly forrow for firm, which procedeth on to repentance,caufing thee to loath thy finne, and louerighteoufneffe conaantly, and cana thou loue him that dealáth fharpelyagain( thydearea finnes ? a. Doll thou finde thy heart whichwas a manfion of the deuill, to be nowe a Bethel, a Templeofthe holy Ghofi,in which thou wor(hippea God daily in fpirit and truth,prefenting himwith thy morning and euening facrifices as the fweete incenfeofthy foule? 3. Findea thou thy whole conuerfation to be now aconaant praóuiteofrighteoufnes and bolines?percciuell thou thy felfemore heauenly minded then euer thou wall earthly and coue tous; morevpright in dealing withmen then before vniva , more pure and fober in word,deed, thoughts, lookes,then euer thouvafl vncleane or intemperate? Take all thefe together with thee, and goe on cheese- fully as happily,thou art a bleffed man alreadie, and not all the gates of hell can hinder thee ofthy faluation. A fecondpoint tobe learned in that it is laid , that then God faued vs, whenhis bountifulnefle .appeared, is, That before this reuealing of our faluation byChria, this loue and bountifulneffe of God was hid with himfelfe, and could not be reached unto by the moll peircing vn- derflanding,or induflryof man or Angel : onlyGod could inuent our cure,onely God could manifea:the fame , and make it appeare vnro vs. True it is,that it w.asgiue in the wife counfell efGod, before the world was
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=