1But in the second place, a man will know what good he shall have by such a Husband; and indeed, if this were all, he could never marry out of love, and if he do not, it can be no match: Therefore we must find some good, some excellency in CHRIST; and this is the second thing that draws the will, If we take him, we shall have all his wealth, and all his honour, all the joy and pleasure he can afford, we shall have all his wealth; that is, go to the whole Universe, and see what there is profitable or comfortable to the sons of men, and all that is ours, whether it be Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or ⟨p. 107⟩death, or things present, or things to come, all is yours, you are Christs, and Christ is Gods, all this is yours. As for the things of the world, if we take him once, we have all these: would not a man desire all these, Is not this a strong argument to move a man to take Christ, that all the Angels in Heaven, all the excellent Ministers on the Earth, (that are next to Angels) they are all his servants; God hath bestowed these gifts for his sake, they are set awork for the furthering of his salvation: and the Angels, you know, are ministering Spirits, sent forth for the good of the Elect; for the World, as the Apostle saith, that is, whatsoever is in the World, all the good and all the evil in the world, even that evil doth him service, the afflictions, and persecutions, and storms, drive him to his haven, aswell as fair gales; every thing scours him, doth him some good or other, all in the world is his, both life and death; that is, whatsoever belongs to this life or another, all is for his service; & not that only, but when death comes, that a man thinks is the greatest enemy; that there is no good in death, yet that doth him good, it heals our sins, it is a means of happiness; in a word, when the Apostle could say no more, things present, or things to come; for a man should look to both: as heaven will not content him without the things of this life, so the things of this life will not content him without Heaven; but when there is both, the mind is satisfied.
1But in the second place, a man will know what good he shall haue by such a Husband; and indeed, if this were all, hee could neuer marry out of loue, and if he doe not, it can be no match: Therefore we must finde some good, some excellencie in CHRIST; and this is the second thing that drawes the will, If we take him, we shall haue all his wealth, and all his honour, all the ioy and pleasure he can afford, we shall haue all his wealth; that is, goe to the whole Vniuerse, and see what there is profitable or comfortable to the sons of men, and all that is ours, whether it be Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or ⟨p. 107⟩death, or things present, or things to come, all is yours, you are Christs, and Christ is Gods, all this is yours. As for the things of the world, if we take him once, we haue all these: would not a man desire all these, Is not this a strong argument to moue a man to take Christ, that all the Angels in Heauen, all the excellent Ministers on the Earth, (that are next to Angels) they are all his seruants; God hath bestowed these gifts for his sake, they are set aworke for the furthering of his saluation: and the Angels, you know, are ministring Spirits, sent forth for the good of the Elect; for the World, as the Apostle saith, that is, whatsoeuer is in the World, all the good and all the euill in the world, euen that euill doth him seruice, the afflictions, and persecutions, and stormes, driue him to his hauen, aswell as faire gales; euery thing scoures him, doth him some good or other, all in the world is his, both life and death; that is, whatsoeuer belongs to this life or another, all is for his seruice; & not that only, but when death comes, that a man thinks is the greatest enemy; that there is no good in death, yet that doth him good, it heales our sins, it is a meanes of happines; in a word, when the Apostle could say no more, things present, or things to come; for a man should looke to both: as heauen will not content him without the things of this life, so the things of this life will not content him without Heauen; but when there is both, the minde is satisfied.
- 12. Means.2. Meanes.
