A09466:180
A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…
A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he may discern it, and persevere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set down in the page following.A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he maie discerne it, and perseuere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set downe in the page following.
London: printed by R. Robinson for T. Gubbin, 1590
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
XXXVIII
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,