Ver. i 8. the Epi file to the Romans. 285 from the grace of Adoption : for that grace of God which adopteth them, fo fupporteth and ftrengtheneth their wil, that they Lick and hold dole to him, p+rhNm inmoil dangerous aftii &ions,untill they f "" ' beglorified of him in heaven. Secondly, ampie la irem: v;r- it reproveth fuch Chriftians as never 176"4"11 0 have a thought of this condition, and ¢ t° pmia. yet think they may be very good Chri- ¡Bans : much more filch as to avoid af- fliEtions, will make fhipwreck ofa good confcience, foothing up other men in their fins, and ferving the time,thatthey may live q uietly and fafèly. Thirdly,k admonilluth all true Chriflians before hand, to prepare theirfouls for the day ofaflli&ions, after the commandement of Chrift, and according to the example ofa wife builder, and provident King,as n Luke 4. 28, 3 I. Laftly, itferves to comfort all fuch as do, or hereafter Thal fuffer aftliftion in word or deed, for the name of Chrifi; becaufe they are in fuel: an efface as God Lath allotted his own children, whom he purpofeth to glorifie in heaven everlaflingly. T I te. What is the fecond inffrut ion n e learn from hence? S I t. It Both give us a double confo lation aguinft the fharpnefs of the Crofs and afílif} ions the former is from the communion ofChrifts fufferings; Chri- ftians fuller not alone, but they fiaffer with Chrift, and Chrift with them: which furely is no fmall comfort, to have Chrift a companion and fellow in our fufferings, as it were to bear up an end of the Crofs; nay which is more, e- ven to fnffer in us, accounting all that cruelty which is done to his members, to be done to himfelf, as A&s 9.4. Saul, Saul, whyperfecute fl thou me? and Match. 25.4o. Ti M. But how may aChriffian be certi- fied that in bit own tittering, he fairer., with Chriff? S I L. By thefe two things : Fief, if we fuffer with the fame affeétion that Chrift (Uttered with, that is, of obedi- ence to the will of our heavenly Father, Mat. 26.39. Secondly, if our flittering havethe fame effe& which his had, to wit, the taking away of fin, but not af- ter the fame manner: for his fufferings took away fin by merit, and making full fatisfaétioo to Gods juflice, both for guilt and puni(hntent, temporal! and e- ternall: ours take away fin by being helps(byGods mightygraciousblefling) to the mortifying and killing of the frength and power of fin. T o M. What the latter confolation from this text, for chafe that are under the Croft? S I L. It is taken from the end and fruit of afflï &ions, which is glorification in heaven ; the goodnefs of things is meafured by the end, and we have a common proverb: That all is well, that ends well. How comfortable then and deferrable, is the eftate of afff i&ions for Clint, i which {hall have fuch a glori- ous end? howfoever they breed grief in the flefh, (home in the world ; and freme to be as it Were death and hell for the time : yet at the Taft, in the conclufion they bring to life and glory,fuch as cou- ragioufly fnffer theni, not by the wor- thinefs ofthe fufferings, but as a way to lead the fufferer into the country that is above. The Martyrs knew this ful wel, and therefore when they were carryed to the flake to drink of that cup of fire, yet they cheered upon it with this medi- tation, that though their breakfaft were fowre, their (upper fhould be full fweet. God is to be prayed that all his children may have fuch a breakfaft, rather then they fhould mils of fuch a (upper: DIALOGUE XVIII. Verte iS. For l accourt that the afßiiiions o f ebb- pre- Jens time, are notworthy of th (ball be fretted unto we. TI MOT HEUS. WHat, it the drift and purpofe of this Text? S I L. To ftrengthen the argument afed in the former verte, the better to perfwade Chriftians patiently to bear the Croft. The argument is taken from the end and fruit of affliEtions (Uttered for Chrifl, which is glory infinite and heavenly,
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