And further, all that God hath, is for their good; the heavens, and earth, and all Creatures are theirs, and work continually for them: Hosea 2. 21. 22. I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the Corn, and the Wine, and the Oil, and they shall hear Jezreel: 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23: The world, life, death, things present, things to come, all are yours, and ye are Christs, ⟨p. 375⟩and Christ is Gods: Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God. This is a mystery that the world is not acquainted with, but we know it, saith the Apostle. The world may think, that things work against us; yea, all things in the world seem to work against us; but we know that all things do work for good, & they work together for good; though some particular things considered apart, may work for good to other men; yet take all together, and they work their ruin; but altogether works for good to us; although the good doth not seem yet to come forth, yet it is a working for us; stay but till the work be done, and it will appear: Good it will be, though it may be not the same good that we think of, yet a good that will be better for us; a greater good than we imagined or desired. Now then, if all that is Gods be for thee, and works thus fully for thee, is there not reason then, that all that is thine ⟨p. 376⟩should be for God, and work as fully for him? Thine did I say? the truth is, there is nothing thine; for all is Gods; God hath a greater propriety in, and right to whatsoever thou art, and hast, than thy self; but God is pleased to let it be called thine, that thou mayest freely give it to him: and if it be his own, why should he not have it fully? If he thus enlargeth himself towards thee, how unequal is it, that thou shouldest be scant in thy service to him, and in thine honouring of him?
And further, all that God hath, is for their good; the heavens, and earth, and all Creatures are theirs, and worke continually for them: Hosea 2. 21. 22. I will heare the heavens, and they shall heare the earth, and the earth shall heare the Corne, and the Wine, and the Oyle, and they shall heare Iezreel: 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23: The world, life, death, things present, things to come, all are yours, and yee are Christs, ⟨p. 375⟩and Christ is Gods: Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all things worke together for good, to them that love God. This is a mysterie that the world is not acquainted with, but we know it, saith the Apostle. The world may thinke, that things worke against us; yea, all things in the world seeme to work against us; but we know that all things doe work for good, & they work together for good; though some particular things considered apart, may worke for good to other men; yet take all together, and they worke their ruine; but altogether workes for good to us; although the good doth not seeme yet to come forth, yet it is a working for us; stay but till the worke bee done, and it will appeare: Good it will bee, though it may bee not the same good that wee thinke of, yet a good that will bee better for us; a greater good than we imagined or desired. Now then, if all that is Gods bee for thee, and workes thus fully for thee, is there not reason then, that all that is thine ⟨p. 376⟩should be for God, and worke as fully for him? Thine did I say? the truth is, there is nothing thine; for all is Gods; God hath a greater propriety in, and right to whatsoever thou art, and hast, than thy selfe; but God is pleased to let it bee called thine, that thou maist freely give it to him: and if it bee his owne, why should hee not have it fully? If he thus inlargeth himselfe towards thee, how unequall is it, that thou shouldest be scant in thy service to him, and in thine honouring of him?
