But among all these sanctified affections,1 there are four specially to be marked. The first is a zeal for Gods glory: by which a ⟨p. 72⟩Christian is thus affected, that rather then God shall loose his glory, he is content to have his own soul damned, As it was with Moses, who feared, least God should loose his glory, if he did utterly destroy the Israelites for their Idolatry: whom he had chosen to be his people, & therefore in this respect prayed unto the Lord. aTherefore now if thou pardon their sin, thy mercy shall appear, but if thou wilt not, I pray thee, raze me out of the book which thou hast written. bAnd Paul could have wished with all his hart to be cut off from all fellowship with Christ, and to be given up to eternal destruction, for his country men the Jews, & for Gods glory specially. Some may say this affection is not common to all, but particular to such as are led with such an affection, as these holy men were led, & which have their harts so pierced & kindled with divine love, and so ravished with the same, out of themselves, that they forget all other things, yea themselves, having nothing before their eyes but God, and his glory. To this I answer that this affection is common to all, though the measure of it be divers, in some more, in some less. which appeareth in that our saviour Christ teacheth every one▪ in his prayer which he ⟨p. 73⟩made before he crave any other thing, either concerning God, or himself, to pray that Gods name may be sanctified. For by this all Christians are taught that they are to overpass all considerations of themselves, their own pleasure and profit; their salvation or damnation: and with an hearty affection, to seek after the glory of God in all their doings, that as Gods glory is most dear unto himself, so it may appear also that it is most dear unto them. If any think it strange that Moses, Paul, or any other should be content to fall into misery, to loose their lives, and to be cast into eternal perdition, in hell fire, with reprobate and damned spirits, rather then Gods honour should be turned into dishonour and blasphemy: let them consider that wonderful is the power of true love, cwhich makes all things easy: dwhich is as strong as the grave, that overcomes all, and was never yet overcome: which is as a flaming fire, that a whole sea of waters cannot quench.
But among al these sanctified affections,1 there are foure speciallie to be marked. The first is a zeale for Gods glorie: by which a ⟨p. 72⟩Christian is thus affected, that rather then God shall loose his glorie, he is content to haue his own soule damned, As it was with Moses, who feared, least God should loose his glorie, if he did vtterlie destroy the Israelits for their Idolatrie: whom he had chosen to be his people, & therefore in this respect praied vnto the Lord. aTherefore nowe if thou pardon their sinne, thy mercie shall appeare, but if thou wilt not, I pray thee, rase me out of the booke which thou hast written. bAnd Paul could haue wished with all his hart to bee cut off from all fellowship with Christ, and to bee giuen vp to eternal destructiō, for his countrie men the Iewes, & for Gods glory speciallie. Some may say this affection is not cō mon to all, but particular to such as are led with such an affection, as these holie men were led, & which haue their harts so pearced & kindled with diuine loue, and so rauished with the same, out of themselues, that they forget al other things, yea themselues, hauing nothing before their eyes but God, and his glorie. To this I answere that this affectiō is cōmon to al, though the measure of it be diuers, in some more, in some lesse. which appeareth in that our sauiour Christ teacheth euery one▪ in his praier which hee ⟨p. 73⟩made before he craue any other thing, either concerning God, or himselfe, to pray that Gods name may be sanctified. For by this all Christians are taught that they are to ouerpasse all considerations of themselues, their owne pleasure and profit; their saluation or damnation: and with an heartie affection, to seeke after the glorie of God in all their doinges, that as Gods glorie is most deare vnto himselfe, so it may appeare also that it is most deare vnto them. If any think it strange that Moses, Paule, or any other shoulde bee content to fall into miserie, to loose their liues, and to be cast into eternall perdition, in hell fire, with reprobate and damned spirites, rather then Gods honor shoulde bee turned into dishonor and blasphemie: let them consider that wonderful is the power of true loue, cwhich makes all things easie:
- 1Zeal for Gods glory.Zeale for Gods glorie.
- aExo. 32. •2.
- bRom. 9. 3
- c1. Cor. 13 ver. 7.
- dCant 8. ver. 6. 7.
